# 2026-01516: Foreign Aid Recipients Must Ditch Gender Ideology Under New Rules 2026-01516, Combating Gender Ideology in Foreign Assistance, is a Federal Register rule from State Department published 2026-01-27, effective 2026-02-26; deemed significant under Executive Order 12866 (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01516 - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-01516 - Title: Combating Gender Ideology in Foreign Assistance - Type: Rule - Agencies: State Department - Citation: 91 FR 3332 - Published: 2026-01-27 - Effective: 2026-02-26 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: yes (OIRA_API) - Touches household money: no - Regulation identifier numbers: 1400-AG25 - Last updated: 2026-11-04 ## In one line Foreign Aid Recipients Must Ditch Gender Ideology Under New Rules ## Summary Starting February 26, 2026, the U.S. will require all foreign aid recipients—like NGOs and governments—to follow new rules that stop the promotion of gender ideology overseas. This means grants and agreements will include terms to make sure aid supports U.S. policies against gender ideology, certain equity programs, and abortion as family planning. These changes affect how billions in foreign assistance are given and ensure aid aligns with the current administration’s values. ## Abstract To implement the foreign policy objective of the United States not to support the promotion of gender ideology overseas, the U.S. Department of State (Department) is adding a new award term for grants, cooperative agreements, and voluntary contributions entitled "Combating Gender Ideology in Foreign Assistance." The award term imposes certain requirements relating to gender ideology on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), United States NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals. The award term is issued consistent with the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA) and other foreign assistance authorities such as the FREEDOM Support Act, the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962, and the SEED Act of 1989, which authorize the Department to provide foreign assistance on such terms and conditions as the President, and by delegation, the Secretary of State, may determine. Consistent with past Mexico City Policy protocol, the provision will be incorporated as applicable into grants and cooperative agreements when new funds are added as well as into new awards. ## Effects PRIA read - New Award Term Bans Gender Ideology: cost, high. Starting February 26, 2026, the Department of State will add an award term called "Combating Gender Ideology in Foreign Assistance." Any recipient of Department-administered foreign assistance awards must agree not to promote gender ideology or provide financial support to organizations that promot… - Specific Rules for U.S. NGOs: cost, high. U.S. non-governmental organizations that receive Department foreign assistance must, during the award period, not provide sex-rejecting procedures outside the United States, must not promote gender ideology within the scope of funded programs, and must ensure physical and financial separation of fo… - Foreign NGOs and IOs Must Comply: cost, high. Foreign non-governmental organizations and international organizations receiving or implementing a Department grant or cooperative agreement must agree that, during the award period and outside the United States, they will not promote gender ideology or provide financial support to other foreign NG… - Foreign Governments Must Segregate Funds: cost, medium. A foreign government or parastatal receiving Department foreign assistance may be required, in whole or in part, to agree not to use award funds to promote gender ideology and to place such funds in a segregated account during the award period to ensure they are not used for those activities. - Flow-Down to Subrecipients Required: cost, low. Foreign and U.S. NGOs, international organizations, foreign governments, and parastatals will be required to flow down the award terms under this rule, as applicable, to subrecipients of foreign assistance during the award period. - Which Aid Programs Are Covered: cost, medium. The rule applies to non-military foreign assistance administered by the Department under Title III and specific appropriations headings and covers Global Health Programs, Humanitarian Assistance, economic and development assistance, stabilization assistance, civil society and democracy programming,… - Estimated Compliance Costs and Reach: cost, high. The Department estimates about 2,500 recipients and grantees will be impacted. The agency estimates one-time familiarization costs of $16,035,000 and annual training and compliance monitoring costs totaling $114,052,700. - Possible Service Disruptions Abroad: cost, medium. The Department acknowledges some organizations may choose to stop accepting foreign assistance rather than comply, which could cause temporary disruptions in service delivery for program beneficiaries. The Department says it will seek new partners to minimize disruption. ## Related documents - [2026-20079](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20079): International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR): Review of the U.S. Munitions List and Related Definitions and License Exemptions, 2026-10-01 - [2026-17655](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17655): Passports: Expanding Online Passport Renewal Overseas, 2026-08-28 - [2026-04931](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04931): Schedule of Fees for Consular Services-Fee for Administrative Processing of Request for Certificate of Loss of Nationality of the United St…, 2026-03-13 - [2025-17851](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-17851): Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies and Consulates-Visa Services Fee Changes, 2025-09-16 - [2025-14826](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-14826): Visas: Visa Bond Pilot Program, 2025-08-05 - [2026-22248](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22248): Notice of Department of State Sanctions Actions, 2026-11-02 ## Sources - [2026-01516 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/27/2026-01516/combating-gender-ideology-in-foreign-assistance) - [2026-01516 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-27/pdf/2026-01516.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-01494, Approval of American Society of Mechanical Engineers Unconditioned Code Cases](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01494) - [Next: 2026-01517, Combating Discriminatory Equity Ideology in Foreign Assistance Rules](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01517) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01516 (as of 2026-11-04).