Philanthropist Melinda French Gates has announced a bold commitment to donate $1 billion over the next two years to support women’s rights and family initiatives globally, with a special focus on reproductive rights in the United States.
French Gates recently declared her decision to step down from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, shifting her focus to advocating for women and families through her organization, Pivotal Ventures. In a guest essay for The New York Times, she expressed frustration with delays in addressing gender equality.
“Decades of research on economics, well-being, and governance make it clear that investing in women and girls benefits everyone,” she wrote.
Highlighting the urgent issues, French Gates pointed out the high maternal mortality rates in the U.S., particularly among Black and Native American mothers. She also noted the loss of abortion rights in 14 states, the absence of national paid family leave, and the alarming increase in suicidal thoughts among teenage girls.
Over the past few weeks, French Gates has begun channeling new grants through Pivotal Ventures to U.S. organizations such as the National Women’s Law Center, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and the Center for Reproductive Rights. These grants aim to protect women’s rights and bolster their influence and power.
Pivotal Ventures, a limited liability company managing both philanthropic grants and profit ventures, has been instrumental in promoting women’s economic and political participation. Its initiatives include closing the wage gap, compensating care work, and encouraging women to pursue political office.
Looking ahead, French Gates plans to launch a $250 million initiative this fall, aimed at enhancing the mental and physical health of women and girls worldwide.
French Gates will officially leave the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation next week, an organization she co-founded nearly 25 years ago. The Foundation, set to be renamed the Gates Foundation, remains one of the world’s largest philanthropic entities with an endowment of $75.2 billion as of December 2023, bolstered by contributions from Gates and billionaire investor Warren Buffett. While the Foundation addresses a broad range of issues, its primary focus remains on global health, with most funding directed internationally.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
