According to an analysis by the Institute for Journalism and Social Change, 17 U.S.-based anti-abortion nonprofit organizations distributed over $9.3 million across Africa in 2023 and 2024, building on approximately $16 million sent to the continent from 2019 to 2022. The Trump administration announced sweeping restrictions on U.S. funding for organizations working on abortion-related issues overseas, potentially affecting up to $30 billion in aid. Researchers noted that the documented funding represents an undercount, as U.S.-based churches and some religious groups are not required to file annual financial disclosures detailing their expenditures.
Healthcare providers and reproductive rights activists across multiple African countries have reported increased harassment and legal pressures. Marie Stopes International documented cases in which staff members at reproductive health clinics faced online attacks, legal actions from U.S.-funded local organizations, and in some instances detention. In Ethiopia, medical professionals reported that a U.S.-based organization’s representative engaged in social media campaigns promoting anti-abortion messaging. In Kenya, staff at reproductive rights organizations have had their names and addresses published online, and clinic owners reported extortion attempts by police officials threatening criminal charges.
The Maputo Protocol, an international convention signed by African nations two decades ago, declares safe abortion a human right and obligates signatory countries to legalize abortion in cases of rape, incest, fetal malformation, or risk to maternal health. Despite these commitments, implementation remains inconsistent across the continent. The African Institute for Development Policy reports that sub-Saharan Africa records over 6 million unsafe abortions annually. Healthcare advocates contend that restrictions on reproductive services result in increased maternal mortality, as Africa already experiences the world’s highest rates of maternal deaths and unsafe abortion procedures.
The U.S. State Department stated that American aid supports programs reflecting American values and maternal and child health services, while opposing abortion-related activities. Proponents of anti-abortion policies characterize their efforts as life-saving measures. In May, a Kenyan appeals court overturned a ruling affirming access to abortion as a fundamental right. Additionally, representatives from 20 African nations drafted a charter during a conference in Ghana that would reject sexual and reproductive health rights, with voting scheduled at the African Union next year.
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