The controversial ‘Mexico City Policy’ that bars US funds to be spent on international organisations that provide abortion facilities in the country has once again come under scrutiny under the Biden rule.

As the new administration has been making a lot of amendments in existing policies with a more egalitarian approach, this stand might not go down well in Congress.

On the eve of the anti-abortion movement’s annual March for Life, the White House disclosed that Biden has decided to scrape off the Mexico City Policy thereby giving more space to the reproductive needs and choices of women. It was expected of Biden to revoke the policy.

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However, he did not stop at that. Biden has ordered to review all the rules under the Trump’s administration that barred government clinics from referring abortions to women.

Abortion is legal in India since 1973, and Joe Biden’s stance has always been pro-choice rather than pro-life. However, this particular bill falls under a constant rift between Republicans and Democrats- the fate of which is decided by the one who has the power at that moment.

The US is politically divided on topics such as abortion rights. For example, although Democrats have a pro-choice stance on abortion, Biden who is a Catholic is known to have a more conservative perspective on abortion rights.

The allocation of federal funds to pay for an abortion is bound to spark controversies, and this might also hinder Biden’s plans to work on policies related to the coronavirus and the economy.

The 1984 Mexico City Policy aims at all the non-American organisations that are involved in US healthcare. These organisations benefit from the US funds mostly. In 2017, Trump outlawed this policy restricting funds to the organisations that offer abortion facilities in the US.

The step is crucial for Biden and his administration, and he is calculating his decisions very cautiously around the March for Life that brings tens and thousands of people every year but will be held online this year due to COVID-19.

“Funneling US tax dollars to abortion groups overseas is an abhorrent practice that flies in the face of the ‘unity’ Joe Biden and (Vice President) Kamala Harris promised to inspire,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List.

However, many women’s health advocacy groups have come out in support of Biden’s move.

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Serra Sippel, president of the Center for Health and Gender Equity, said that she was thrilled that Biden was working towards ending the ‘neo-colonial policy’. But she reiterated that Biden needed to get the support of other organisations, agencies, and embassies to implement the decision properly.