Amartya Sen, the renowned Indian philosopher, economist and Nobel laureate, published his book, Development as Freedom, in 1999.  In this masterpiece he articulates a vision for development out of poverty that goes beyond basic income and describes the process of development as the need to provide choices for people. 

The concept of freedom is foundational to our human evolution. Ludwig von Mises, a distinguished Austrian-America notes that “The history of civilization is the record of a ceaseless struggle for liberty.” Western civilization is founded on these concepts of liberty and freedom. The US constitution makes many references to freedoms: freedom of speech, assembly, religion, bear arms, from unreasonable search and seizure.  In the Netherlands, where KIT is based, the constitution lays the groundwork for “freedom from discrimination, freedom of religion and expression and the right to privacy”.   

Antithesis of everything we stand for

This foundational concept of freedom is thus at the core of our field of development and further articulated in internationally endorsed human rights principles: it is fundamental to how many of us identify as professionals and citizens. This is precisely why actions like the global gag rule are the antithesis of everything we stand for as professionals and people.

There has already been much said about the global gag rule, that was reinstated last week following the inauguration of Trump as president of the United States. The federal rule, also known as the “Mexico City policy”, is a recurring Republican policy that penalizes organizations that offer information, research or services on the choices of people to manage their bodies and their wellbeing. 

Tactic to restrict people’s freedoms

Any organization working with the US government must declare that it does not support access to abortion, whether that is with their own resources or with US government resources. The global gag rule is fundamentally a tactic to restrict people’s freedoms but also has a devastating impact on people’s lives and health. Research on previous periods that the rule has been in effect, demonstrated how it contributes to a rise of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

Other effects of the global gag rule have been well documented such as in The Lancet world’s leading medical science journal.  Organizations have been de-funded, basic health services are impacted, women, pregnant people, and children suffer, the stigma and chilling effects on organizations and health care providers, the list goes on, and marginalized people are affected most. In this era where freedoms are being attacked by the same entities that claim that they are freedom bearers, what do organizations like KIT do? 

1. Clarify our values 

KIT is a mission-driven, non-profit organization.  Everything that KIT does as an organization embodies our core values of transparency, inclusiveness, sustainability and independence.  At the heart of these values is a belief in human rights and commitment to evidence and science. No individual or donor has the power to fundamentally alter who we are as an organization or make us work in a way that runs counter to evidence or human rights.  Thus tactics like the gag rule are perceived as just that: tactics used by those who don’t have evidence, science or human rights on their side. 

2. Elevate the evidence and voices of reason 

Misinformation is ‘getting the facts wrong’ – the sharing of false information by mistake or in good faith. Disinformation is knowingly spreading false information deliberately designed to mislead and obscure facts. Every minute we spend discussing misinformation and disinformation is empowering misinformation and disinformation.  Thus it is our responsibility to limit the noise around the gag rule and the people who support it.  We must instead elevate the voices of reason.  Organizations working on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms should be elevated, celebrated and funded.  There are many powerful coalitions of such organizations and KIT itself hosts Share-Net International, a global platform and network of over 3500 organizations and people working on SRHR. These platforms must rise to the occasion to fill the evidence void, to engage with media and the public, to ensure that we do not give air to misinformation.  

3. Uniting in power  

Of course, the US government’s position on the gag rule will affect many people and organizations as it did the first time around.  But assuming we have no power and giving up is holding on to an old world order where power was defined by guns and dollars.  Today, information is the new gold.  As a non-profit we don’t hold an army and we can’t print money, but we and others like us can come together and use our power in creative ways to counter misinformation and build alliances.  We call on like-minded organizations to join us and work toward an alternative vision of the world where the power of the people can overcome the petty tactics like the gag rule intended to silence evidence, science and human rights and wellbeing.