On Tuesday, billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates pledged $1 billion (£782.4 million) over the next two years to women’s issues and gender equity around the world. About $200 million (£157 million) will go to US organisations campaigning for gender and reproductive rights.
In a New York Times essay, French Gates mentioned the 2022 Supreme Court judgement that overturned the constitutional right to abortion as a trigger for her support.
The statement comes after her decision to stand down from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The cash will be distributed through her company, Pivotal Ventures, until 2026. French Gates intends to give $20 million (£16 million) to 12 world leaders to distribute to selected organisations by 2026. An additional $250 million (£196 million) will be set aside for international organisations dedicated to women’s health.
French Gates emphasised the necessity of funding women’s rights. She said, “When we allow this cause to go so chronically underfunded, we all pay the cost.” The Centre for Reproductive Rights, a grant recipient, promotes abortion rights and represents 50 women in related lawsuits. Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams of the Centre emphasised the crucial necessity for this support.
