Melinda French Gates pledges $1 billion for women’s causes, including reproductive rights in the US, over the next two years

Melinda French Gates announces a $1 billion donation to support women’s causes globally over the next two years.

One of the causes she will back is reproductive rights in the US, particularly after the overturning of the landmark Roe v Wade ruling.

This pledge follows a previous commitment made in 2019 to enhance women’s power and influence over a decade.

In a guest essay for The New York Times, Ms French Gates expressed frustration with the notion that it’s not the right time to discuss gender equality.

“Decades of research show that investing in women and girls benefits everyone,” she wrote.

Ms French Gates recently revealed her decision to leave the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to focus on women and families. As part of this transition, she received $12 billion (£9.4 billion) from Bill Gates for her philanthropic efforts.

She has already started allocating grants through her organization, Pivotal Ventures, to support women’s rights groups in the US. These grants provide general operating support without specific project requirements.

In her essay, Ms French Gates highlighted the alarming rates of maternal mortality in the US, emphasizing the increased risks faced by black and Native American mothers.

She mentioned restrictive laws in several states that limit the right to terminate pregnancies, the absence of national paid family leave in the US, and a rise in mental health challenges among teenage girls.

Read more:
Sunday Times Rich List: Sunak leapfrogs King Charles
Tories promise tax cut for pensioners with ‘triple lock plus’

She also committed to giving 12 individuals $20 million (£15.6 million) each to donate to non-profit organizations of their choice by the end of 2026.

Ms French Gates will officially depart from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation next week, an organization she co-founded nearly 25 years ago.