Outcome of the US presidential elections: Reforming the agenda for reproductive health and women’s rights

At the time of finalizing this editorial on November 28, 2020, Joe Biden has been projected by the major television and media networks as the winner of the 2020 Presidential election in the United States.  Barring unforeseen developments, it is now evident that he will be sworn-in as the 46 th President of the United States (POTUS) on Wednesday, January 20, 2021.  With this increased likelihood of the Biden presidency of the world's most powerful country, it is appropriate to explore what this means for reproductive health and women's health and social development, not only in the United States but also for Africa and the rest of the world. At the onset of the presidency of Donald Trump in 2017, this journal cautioned that the "reversal of the US progressive policies will have hindering effects on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, three of which were specifically designed to promote gender equality and social equality around the world" 1 . Therefore, it was not surprising that the performance of Donald Trump in the domains of social justice, racial equity, and gender equality featured prominently in the campaigns for the 2020 elections and were significant points in anchoring victory for Joe Biden. As a pragmatic democrat, President-elect Biden promises to re-enact some of the most endearing principles in promoting women's health and development and reproductive health and social justice in two main ways. First and foremost, his choice of a woman as Vice-President convinces the world that “he has put his money where his mouth is”. The choice and emergence of Kamala Harris as Vice-President, the first woman to occupy the highest political position in the United States, testifies to Biden's positioning as a strong advocate and practitioner of women's rights and social justice.