President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday which banned non-governmental organisations from receiving foreign aid or federal funding if they perform abortion services or give out information about abortion.
Known as the Global Gag Rule, Trump signed the order a day after the 44th anniversary of the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion in the United States.
The rule was first signed in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, and has been repealed and replaced ever since, depending on whether a Republican or Democratic president is in the Oval Office.
The Gag Rule means that healthcare providers who rely on US aid have to choose between talking about safe abortion or having money to operate as a resource.
The executive order has created a funding gap of about $600 million for hundreds of charities around the world, but with reproductive rights on the chopping block, the Netherlands has stepped in with a master plan.