Melinda French Gates has donated over $600 million to women’s health till date. Speaking in a Fortune interview, she said the move is about sending a message to the world’s ultra-wealthy that the sector is a “viable” cause worth backing. She said the investment is not just about expanding access to reproductive care, menopause support and mental health services, but also about encouraging other wealthy donors to step forward and invest in women’s health despite growing political and funding challenges. . “I’m trying to send a signal,” she explained, adding that women’s health is a viable category to back.
Why Melinda French Gates is investing more in women’s health
French Gates said women cannot reach their full potential if they are not healthy. “I want to make sure women can reach their full potential, because when they do, society changes. Family, their community, countries change,” Gates stated adding further: “But you can’t step into your full potential or your full power or influence if you’re not healthy. I’m also trying to send a signal that this is a space that really has not been focused on very much”.
What inspired Melinda French Gates to increase funding for women health
One of the projects supported by French Gates is the Women’s and Wellness Clinic (WAWC) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The clinic, which previously operated as an abortion clinic before changing its focus after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, reopened with the help of a $5 million grant from French Gates. It now offers a wider range of women’s healthcare services, including mental health support.French Gates recently visited the clinic and met Asia Brooks, who shared how the clinic helped her manage postpartum depression after the birth of her second child. French Gates said experiences like Brooks’ reinforced her decision to increase funding for women’s healthcare.
Melinda French Gates’ message to other billionaires
French Gates said one of her biggest goals is to encourage other wealthy donors to support women’s health. When asked “You want to send a message to other philanthropists. Do you see any signs that that message is working”, Gates replied:“Yes, by some. Absolutely, because I am talking with others and they’re saying, oh, I want to put some bets down in there. I am talking to more and more women, and it’s encouraging”. French Gates also said some philanthropists have become hesitant to fund women’s health and reproductive rights because they fear political backlash. She said she has increased support for organizations such as the National Women’s Law Center and the Center for Reproductive Rights because she believes it is important to continue funding these issues despite growing challenges.
