Tue Sep 17 06:10:31 UTC 2024: ## Melinda French Gates: Sexism in Philanthropy & New Focus on Empowerment
Melinda French Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has opened up about the sexism she faced working alongside her ex-husband, Bill Gates. Despite their shared decades of philanthropy, French Gates revealed in an interview with Vanity Fair that meetings would often default to Bill, with others assuming she held less expertise. She described being overlooked in favor of her ex-husband, even when discussing areas where they had both been deeply involved for years.
“If I went into a president or prime minister’s office and I was with my ex-husband, they would turn to him first,” French Gates said. “Why would they assume I knew less than him about philanthropy when we had been doing it together for almost 25 years? Why make that false assumption? That, really, was sexism.”
Looking ahead, French Gates expressed excitement about her future endeavors, highlighting the newfound autonomy and control she now enjoys. “I’m the sole decision-maker about these resources. So that’s just—it’s different than before. Quite honestly, it feels quite good,” she shared.
Meanwhile, Bill Gates has urged wealthier nations to increase their support for African countries, emphasizing that recent global aid trends have left Africa with fewer resources despite its growing needs. He highlighted the importance of debt relief, vaccinations, and combating malnutrition in his call for increased support.
These statements come as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation released its annual Goalkeeper’s report, which analyzes progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and assesses countries’ commitments to their 2015 development pledges.
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