The Global Health Studies group at Northwestern University is hosting a public talk titled Global Health Politics in the Post-USAID Era: Lessons from the US’s Global Gag Rule and its Impact on NGOs in Kenya on Friday, January 23, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM CT. The event will take place at 555 Clark Street, Room B01, Evanston, Illinois, and is open to faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and members of the public. Attendance is free.
As the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has ceased operations and foreign aid funding has been sharply reduced, health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries are worsening. While much of the discussion has focused on the direct consequences for communities, far less attention has been given to the impact of the USAID shutdown on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that act as intermediaries in delivering essential health services. This talk addresses a critical question: how does the withdrawal of US foreign aid affect NGOs operating in low-resource settings?
Drawing on the US Global Gag Rule (GGR) as a historical example of aid withdrawal, the presentation examines its effects on sexual and reproductive health NGOs that either performed or advocated for abortion-related services. The analysis is based on 72 key informant interviews conducted between February 2020 and June 2025 with NGO leaders, physicians, government officials, and researchers in Kenya. The findings show that the 2017 implementation of the GGR affected not only service delivery but also the relationships and collaborations among NGOs, including those that never received US funding.
Interviews conducted in 2025, after the USAID shutdown, reveal that the strategies NGOs developed during the GGR period—particularly coalition-building and cooperation in times of financial scarcity—offer valuable lessons. These approaches provide a potential model for other community service organizations in low- and middle-income countries that are now struggling to survive amid ongoing USAID funding cuts.
