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Gates Foundation pledges $2.1 billion for global gender equality over next five years

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The Gates Foundation pledged $2.1 billion on Wednesday to advance gender equality around the world. This is one of the foundation’s largest single commitments to date.

The foundation said money will be distributed over the next five years and focus on three areas: health and family planning (1.4 billion), accelerating women in leadership ($100 million) and economic empowerment ($650m). Specifically, the foundation said it will seek to increase women’s financial inclusion, reduce barriers to paid work, expand access to contraceptives and boost women in leadership roles, primarily in health, law and economics.

“The world has been fighting for gender equality for decades, but progress has been slow. Now is the chance to reignite a movement and deliver real change,” Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation, said in a statement. The commitment comes as the foundation, which has a $48.9 billion endowment, reels from its founders’ surprise divorce announcement last month. Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates will continue their roles as co-chairs, but the foundation will make changes to its governance structure to “provide long-term stability and sustainability” amid the divorce, CEO Mark Suzman said.

“Women and girls already faced unique barriers to their full participation in social and economic life, and the latest data show that the pandemic has only sharpened gender disparities,” Mark said. “Each data point represents a woman fighting for a better future, and this funding reflects our longstanding commitment to support all women in their fight for a fairer and more equal world.”

ARTICLE: PAUL MURDOCH

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE
PHOTO CREDITS: USA SCIENCE NEWS

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Paul Murdoch

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.” Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.

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