Donald Trump to strip all funding from State Department team promoting women's rights around the world

Donald Trump plans to strip all funding from a State Department bureau that promotes the rights of women around the world, it has emerged.

Oxfam America led criticism of the move, saying said cutting funds for the Office of Global Women’s Issues would have “dire consequences for millions of people, as well as our global standing”.

Documents first leaked to Foreign Policy showed plans to reduce the office’s 2016 budget of $8.25 million (£6.43 million) to zero in 2018, though the President’s budget will still have to make it past Congress.

“It’s clear that women’s empowerment and gender equality are on the chopping block in this budget,” Oxfam vice president for policy, Paul O’Brien, said.

The office’s work had been championed by defeated presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during her time as Secretary of State under Barack Obama.

Oxfam’s intervention came as Mr Trump tweeted he was “proud” of his daughter Ivanka “for her leadership” on women’s empowerment.

On Tuesday Ms Trump told an audience in Germany, where she shared a stage with Chancellor Angela Merkel, she was “really striving to think about how best to empower women in the economy, both domestically and across the globe”.

She also defended her father’s treatment of women and said the “thousands” he had employed in the Trump Organisation were “a testament to his belief and solid conviction in the potential of women and their ability to do the job as well as any man”.

Mr O’Brien added: “Talk is cheap when you don’t fund the efforts you tout.

“Congress must stand against this reckless move to walk away from one of America’s proudest and smartest investments.

“At less than a penny of every federal budget dollar, these vital programmes are wise investments that ensure girls are able to go to school, small business owners can contribute to the local economy, and millions of small farmers are able to produce enough crops to prevent hunger.

“Instead of building on these investments and ongoing real reforms, this administration is proposing devastating cuts that will have dire consequences for millions of people, as well as our global standing, national security interests, and the values central to America’s identity.

“Now is not the time to cut back on development, but to build on progress to make it even more effective.”

In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump

32 show all In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump

1/32 London An image of President Donald Trump is seen on a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty

2/32 Sydney A view of the skywriting word reading 'Trump' as thousands rally in support of equal rights in Sydney, New South Wales EPA

3/32 Rome People shout and hold signs during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images

4/32 London A protester holds a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

5/32 Marseille A placard ready 'Pussy grabs back' is attached to the handle bar of a bike during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images

6/32 Bangkok A young Thai girl holds a "women's rights are human rights" sign at Roadhouse BBQ restaurant where many of the Bangkok Womens March participants gathered in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images

7/32 Bangkok A Thai woman takes a photo of a "hate is not great" sign at the women's solidarity gathering in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images

8/32 Bangkok American expats and travellers gather with the international community in Bangkok at the Roadhouse BBQ restaurant to stand in solidarity in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images

9/32 London Protetesters gather outside The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

10/32 Marseille Women's March at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images

11/32 Marseille Protestors hold placards reading 'My body my choice, my vote my voice' during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images

12/32 Rome A person holds a sign during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images

13/32 Kolkata Activist Sarah Annay Williamson holds a placard and shouts slogan during the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP

14/32 Kolkata Activists participate in the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP

15/32 London A Women's March placards are rested on a bench outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

16/32 London A women carries her placard ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images

17/32 Manila Women protesters shout slogans while displaying placards during a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines AP

18/32 Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP

19/32 Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP

20/32 Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP

21/32 Melbourne Protesters take part in the Melbourne rally to protest against the Trump Inauguration in Melbourne, Australia Getty Images

22/32 Macau Protesters take part in the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images

23/32 Melbourne Womens march on Melbourne protestors marching during a rally where rights groups marched in solidarity with Americans to speak out against misogyny, bigotry and hatred Rex

24/32 Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images

25/32 Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau, Macau. The Women's March originated in Washington DC but soon spread to be a global march calling on all concerned citizens to stand up for equality, diversity and inclusion and for women's rights to be recognised around the world as human rights Getty Images

26/32 Manila A mother carries her son as they join a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines AP

27/32 Sydney An infant is held up at a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images

28/32 Sydney A woman attends a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images

29/32 Sydney A woman expresses her Anti-Trump views in Sydney, Australia Getty Images

30/32 Sydeney Protesters demonstrate against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia. The marches in Australia were organised to show solidarity with those marching on Washington DC and around the world in defense of women's rights and human rights Getty

31/32 London Protesters march from The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square towards Trafalgar Square during the Women's March in London, England Getty

32/32 London Protesters carrying banners take part in the Women's March on London, as they stand in Trafalgar Square, in central London Reuters

In January Mr Trump was criticised for reinstating the Mexico City Policy, a block on federal funds going to non-governmental organisations that help provide abortion services for women overseas, through an executive order.

Leaked budget documents show the President also intends to strip funding from a series of other soft-power and scientific programmes within the State Department - including slashing two-thirds of the Bureau for Food Security's resources, and 95 per cent of funds for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

The $2.5 million budget for USAID's work with blind children is also set to disappear, according to the leaked documents. USAID is the agency that administers American foreign aid.

The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.

The State Department referred to previous statements it had made. An official said: “Later this spring, the President will release the full FY 2018 budget request with more details on specific funding and programmes requested for the State Department and USAID, along with other Executive Branch agencies.”