January 28, 2025
The last week has been intense and sobering. As strategic and dedicated advocates, we already know the profound impact elections have on our work and our world. Recent developments in the United States underscore the challenges ahead, especially with the new administration’s alignment with the Project 2025 agenda—a playbook designed to reshape US federal agencies and policies drastically.
There are already Executive Orders—which are directives issued by the President of the United States—that have significant implications for our collective work, in the US and around the world. This is, we fear, just the beginning. Administrative actions, such as pausing foreign assistance, including the lifesaving PEPFAR program; halting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; curtailing public communications; and “scrubbing” agency websites represent a systematic effort to control narratives and stifle dissent. And many of the Executive Orders from this past week are aimed at changing who is in control of information.
Some of the new political and policy shifts that we are tracking and what they mean for the programs and systems that matter most to HIV prevention efforts, include:
- A foreign aid pause and review
A 90-day pause in US foreign development assistance raises concerns about funding for critical programs, including PEPFAR. Already, US-funded projects all over the world are being suspended, jeopardizing access to life-saving treatment and prevention. - An administration that is strongly anti-trans
This could mean a broader rollback of diversity and inclusion efforts, including limiting federally-funded programs that provide access to gender-affirming health care. While most of these policies have been implemented domestically in the US, there is a possibility that federally funded international programs could increasingly be the target of anti-trans policies as well. - The reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule
This rollback of advances in health and human rights for women and girls will force clinics to close and women to lose access to contraception, HIV and STI prevention and maternal health care, resulting in more unintended pregnancies and more unsafe abortions. It will prevent advocates, community health workers and others from sharing important information with women and girls most at risk. - A US departure from the WHO
This signed executive order jeopardizes global health collaborations, data sharing, and inhibits WHO’s ability to address global health emergencies(the US contributes 15% of its overall budget and 34% of emergency funding). See our analysis. - A subsequent order for the US CDC to stop work with the WHO immediately
This order speeds up what many thought would be a slow withdrawal process. - Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s January 29 Confirmation Hearing
RFK Jr., Trump’s pick to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has pushed AIDS denialism and vaccine mis- and dis-information. While a domestically focused health agency, HHS is also a powerful influence in USG global health policy. Live in the US? Take action by writing to your Senator (campaign by Public Health Awakened).
AVAC will continue to track these developments, analyze their implications, and convene and coordinate with partners to strategize responses. Beginning this week, we will share a weekly synthesis and insights report, Global Health Watch to help navigate this challenging terrain and ensure our advocacy for an evidence- and rights-based, equitable response to the HIV epidemic continues.
In addition, AVAC and PrEP4All published a new commentary in POZ magazine asking philanthropic funders gathered at this week’s Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA) Summit to adapt to these urgent threats. AVAC urges donor partners and advocates to support one another, and join together in an emergency effort, with immediate funding. As a united front, we can and must defend global health and human rights at this crucial time when collective action by donors, multilaterals, advocates and impacted communities is imperative.
Stay strong, stay safe, and stay sane. It’s a long road ahead, but with our partnerships, we must persevere.