Our thinking

A new chapter

17 May, 2024

Melinda French Gates has announced she will step down from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, henceforth to be called the “Gates Foundation”. The largest philanthropic foundation in the world has spent over $53 billion to date, spanning global development, health and education. Among these areas, one of Ms French Gates’ priorities has always been gender equality and she has been fundamental to its focus within the Foundation.  

Ms French Gates has stated she will continue to “commit to my work on behalf of women and families,” and we’re excited to see what that brings.  

We also thought it was worth taking a moment to reflect on what she has already achieved. She has long argued that the uplift of women benefits all of society and her emphasis on women’s rights and gender equality has had a meaningful impact on the world of giving. 

She has given voice to family planning, maternal care and other development-related issues that specifically affected women. And she has championed the idea of putting women and girls at the centre of endeavours to achieve change. 

This is a philosophy that is central to our approach with SKY Girls, funded by the Gates Foundation, a behaviour change campaign targeting teenage girls in Africa, aiming to improve health and social outcomes for women, and that of our close partners at Girl Effect.   

We look forward to seeing what comes next.  

By Anna Heis