Trump revives Geneva Consensus Declaration and shifts its secretariat to the United States

After his inauguration, President Trump re-affirmed the United States' participation in the Geneva Consensus Declaration, a women’s health declaration launched in 2020. The State Department together with the Department of Health and Human Services disclosed that the declaration’s secretariat will be transferred from Hungary to U.S. jurisdiction. Valerie Huber, who helped draft the declaration with Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia and Uganda, designed it as a compromise allowing countries to pursue women’s health goals while retaining control over policies such as abortion.

The Biden administration had withdrawn the U.S. from the pact, citing worries that it weakens UN multilateral gender-equality work, a stance echoed by NGOs like Doctors Without Borders. Critics note that several signatories have restrictive regimes, but Huber argues the coalition addresses the tension between sovereignty and human rights. The move reflects the Trump administration’s broader emphasis on sovereign-led foreign policy and aid reform.