GettyDonald Trump may have a mandate to become the next president of the United States of America, but he still has a long way to go to win over numerous groups alienated by his campaign and behaviour.
Women’s rights groups in America have been particularly concerned by the business mogul’s attitude towards the opposite sex and their rights, but outgoing president Barack Obama has already moved to protect their interests.
Democrat Obama has signed off on a law which will protect Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organisation which offer women access to birth control, sexual health checks, cancer screenings and abortions at some clinics – although they do not directly fund abortions.
GettyThe rule states that ‘Title X’ family planning funding can only be withheld if a provider’s ‘ability to deliver services to program beneficiaries’ is not done so ‘in an effective manner’. So as long as Planned Parenthood services meet such standards states cannot actively move to defund them.
As reported by Konbini, president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, said:
This will make a real difference in so many people’s lives. Thanks to the Obama Administration, [low income] women will still be able to access the birth control they need to plan their families, and the cancer screenings they need to stay healthy.
This rule makes it clear that politicians cannot ignore the law as they pursue their agenda to stop women from getting the care they need.
Title X services utilise grants to assist some of America’s lowest earners, with 85% of those who use services reportedly earning less than $23,500 -roughly £19,000- per year.
Although the move has already been met with anticipated opposition from Republicans.
Republican Representative for Tennessee, Diane Black has argued:
We must use the full force of Congress and grassroots strength of the pro-life movement to defeat this absurd rule and prevent the Obama Administration from carrying out political favours and prop up a scandal-ridden abortion provider.
Given Trump has previously promised to remove Obama’s legacy from the history books it is highly unlikely this is the last we have heard of this.
One thing is certain though, Obama and his administration clearly have no intention of exiting office quietly as the dawn of Trump looms.
