U.S. Anti-DEI Funding Rule Forces Norwegian Mine-Clearance NGO to Reject Aid

Under a 2026 gag rule introduced by the Trump administration, U.S. foreign aid now mandates adherence to specific DEI, abortion-access and gender-ideology standards. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) announced it would refuse the State Department’s support, which represented roughly 400 million Norwegian kroners—about 40% of its mine-removal budget across 20 countries. NPA’s Secretary General Raymond Johansen said the conditions violated the organization’s commitment to gender equality and diversity.

The funding cut is expected to eliminate 1,700 positions globally, with more than 1,000 staff in Laos losing their jobs, and to halt field work on cluster-munitions surveys conducted in 2025. While 60% of NPA’s demining activities will continue as it seeks alternative donors, programs in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Palau face severe reductions. Other Norwegian NGOs, such as Save the Children Norway and Norwegian Church Aid, have taken similar stances against the new requirements.