Philanthropist Melinda French Gates has reflected on her experiences with sexism while working alongside her ex-husband, Bill Gates, co-founder of MicrosoftDespite their joint efforts in philanthropy over the past 25 years, Melinda French Gates recounted how meetings often fell to Bill Gates, with others assuming she was less experienced.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Melinda Gates said: “If I went into the office of a president or prime minister and I was with my ex-husband, they would go to him first. Unless I interrupted the conversation, they could have continued talking for the entire meeting. I understand that he was very well-known and did great things in the tech industry, but why would they assume that I knew less than he did about philanthropy when we had been doing it together for almost 25 years? Why make that false assumption? That, really, was sexism.”
Looking to the future with renewable energy
Looking ahead, French Gates expressed excitement about her upcoming projects. “I feel extraordinarily energized by the work ahead of me. I feel like now is the right time. I never imagined that reaching my sixth decade, turning 60, could be so exciting. Now, I’m the only one making decisions about these resources. So it’s just different than before. Honestly, I feel pretty good. When I have a meeting now, I know it’s for me,” she said.
Bill Gates calls for greater support for Africa
In a related philanthropic update, Bill Gates Gates has called on wealthier governments to increase their support for African countries. Gates noted that recent global aid trends, including substantial funding for the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine and support for refugees, have led to a reduction in resources going to Africa. Associated Press reported.
“There is less money allocated to Africa at a time when they need it,” Gates said. Associated PressShe stressed the importance of supporting critical needs such as debt relief, vaccines and efforts to combat malnutrition. The report added that her comments coincided with the release of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s annual Goalkeeper’s report, which assesses progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and evaluates how well countries are meeting their 2015 development pledges.
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