Melinda Gates Donates $1 Billion To Promote Women’s Issues

India-West News Desk
LOS ANGELES, CA – Philanthropist Melinda French Gates announced on May 28 that she is donating $1 billion to support individuals and organizations promoting women’s issues.

French Gates emphasized that the US Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn the long-standing national right to abortion prompted her to focus more of her spending on reproductive rights within the United States.

The announcement comes in the election year, where abortion is a significant issue, as Democrats aim to leverage voter dissatisfaction with Republican attempts to restrict access to the procedure.

“In nearly 20 years as an advocate for women and girls, I have learned that there will always be people who say it’s not the right time to talk about gender equality,” French Gates wrote in a guest opinion piece in The New York Times. “It’s frustrating and shortsighted. Decades of research on economics, well-being, and governance make it clear that investing in women and girls benefits everyone.”

“As part of the $1 billion in new funding I’m committing to these efforts, I have begun directing new grants through my organization, Pivotal, to groups working in the United States to protect the rights of women and advance their power and influence,” she wrote. “These include the National Women’s Law Center, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and the Center for Reproductive Rights.”

French Gates also revealed that she has selected a dozen individuals to receive a $20 million grant to distribute as they see fit. Among the recipients are former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and US athlete and maternal-health advocate Allyson Felix.

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