Biden Administration Timeline: Advancing Equity-Driven and Inclusive Health and Human Rights Policies

After the damage caused by the previous administration, the Biden-Harris administration must do more than reverse harmful policies –– it must also restore and advance rights. In that vein, Equity Forward developed a series of transition recommendations to inform a range of policies on reproductive health and human rights issues. Many of these recommendations were developed in collaboration with broader coalitions supporting the sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice movements, as well as the broader human rights sphere and groups working to protect science and evidence-based policymaking.

Building on our timeline of policy changes within the Biden-Harris administration’s first 100 days, this fact sheet chronicles a timeline of the administration’s progress in advancing equity-driven and inclusive health and human rights policies, such as enhancing data collection across various demographic characteristics, using gender inclusive language, and restoring research on reproductive health care access in federal policies and reports. For example, we are tracking policies such as the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) pause on restrictions on telemedicine abortions during the pandemic, and the State Department’s restoration of reproductive health care access in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Equity Forward is also tracking the Biden-Harris administration officials creating and implementing these policies. This research is featured on HHS Watch and Global Spotlight.

This fact sheet was originally published on June 30, 2021; its timeline is periodically updated.