From NARAL Pro-Choice America:

"The global gag rule – reimposed on January 22, 2001 by President George W. Bush – prohibits the granting of U.S. funds to any overseas health clinic unless it agrees not to use its own, private, non-U.S. funds for: (1) abortion services, (2) abortion-related advocacy, or (3) abortion counseling or referrals."

The Global Gag rule is dangerous for women overseas because it limits the availability of family planning. And in countries with a high poverty rate and over population problems, women and their children die every year from the combination of pregnancy and poverty. Ethiopia is an unfortunate example of this. Without the resources for proper family planning, unsafe abortions and infant mortality rates increase.