Latest news with #MelindaFrenchGates
Politico
4 days ago
- Health
- Politico
The Gates Foundation commits $2.5B to women's health
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all had a lovely week. Reach out and say hello: klong@ and ecordover@ This week we're talking about investments in women's health research and development. The Gates Foundation said Monday it will commit $2.5 billion to women's health research and development through 2030, prioritizing low- and middle-income countries. It's a significant investment for an area that has received minimal funding or attention for decades. 'I'm proud that we're doing this,' Dr. Anita Zaidi, president of the Gates Foundation Gender Equity Division, tells Women Rule. 'But in the context of how much is needed, it's a small amount.' The Gates Foundation, launched in 2000 by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, has contributed funding to a number of organizations focused on health care, including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the World Health Organization. Melinda French Gates resigned from the foundation in 2024 but has since pledged $1 billion to tackle systemic issues impacting women and girls. The $2.5 billion investment builds upon the organization's existing philanthropic work dedicated to women's health innovation. The investment will focus on five areas, all housed within the reproductive care sphere. Among those are improvements to obstetric care and maternal immunization, as well as expanding the accessibility and effectiveness of contraceptives. But despite the hefty price tag, the investment is a small step forward for an industry that has a lot of catching up to do. A mere 5 percent of global research and development funding was allocated toward women's health care in 2020. 'That really bothers me, the lack of understanding of the biological process for women's bodies, which are very different than male bodies, and we have not invested in that,' Zaidi says. 'So a lot of this is also just understanding basic biology and doing all of that research.' She attributes this lack of understanding to failures to include women in clinical research and conduct research with gender differences in mind. The inclusion of women in clinical research was not mandated until 1993 with the passage of the NIH Revitalization Act, which required women and minority communities to be incorporated into all clinical trials at the National Institute of Health. Dr. Basmah Safdar, director of Women's Health Research at Yale, tells Women Rule that women's health has had a long history of shortcomings. 'NIH and other researchers have tried to change that dialogue … and some of that needle has moved,' Safdar says. 'But particularly at a time like this when there is the need to continue that kind of work, the Gates Foundation is filling one part of that gap.' The investment also comes at a time when federal research grants in the U.S. are seeing sizable cuts. The Trump administration has cut over $1 billion in NIH grants this year, and President Donald Trump's initiative to eliminate any policies promoting 'diversity, equity and inclusion' has sparked concerns over the future of women's health research funding. Despite the significant investment, Zaidi says it can't fill the gaps in women's health research that the U.S. government has created. 'No foundation or groups of foundations can match the amount of funding and leadership that the U.S. government has provided historically on fighting diseases, poverty and malnutrition around the world, and enabling innovation for global health,' Zaidi says. Kathryn Schubert, president of the Society for Women's Health Research, tells Women Rule she is heartened by the investments made by the philanthropic community towards women's health research, given recent federal funding cuts. Schubert says there is a lot of confusion among researchers at her organization — many of which are NIH funded — over whether their grants will continue. 'I think it's really critical for philanthropic investment to step in and assist where it can,' Schubert says. 'I would hope that any investment in women's health that comes at this level would also be sure to look at the needs here in the U.S., not just outside the U.S.' While the foundation is prioritizing global improvements to women's health research and not specifically focusing on the U.S., Zaidi argues the benefits will be 'positive for women everywhere.' 'When I was lucky enough to be asked to set up and think through what the Gender Equity Division would do, this was my biggest priority, that I really want to spark a new era in health that focuses on women's bodies and women's needs,' Zaidi says. POLITICO Special Report Nancy Mace Jumps Into South Carolina Governor's Race by Nicole Markus for POLITICO: 'Rep. Nancy Mace officially launched her bid for governor of South Carolina, joining a competitive GOP primary to follow term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster. 'God's not done with South Carolina and neither am I,' Mace wrote in an X post announcing the launch. 'You and me. Our mission begins now.' Mace (R-S.C.), who is in her third term in Congress, has branded herself as a protector of women's rights.' Kamala Harris Has Misgivings About Government. Some Dems Have Misgivings About Her. by Dustin Gardiner, Melanie Mason, Elena Schneider, Brakkton Booker and Jeff Coltin for POLITICO: 'Kamala Harris didn't shut the door on another White House bid when she announced she isn't running for California governor. But she vented about the limitations of government, telling Late Show host Stephen Colbert on Thursday that she doesn't 'want to go back in the system' for now. Many Democrats feel the same about Harris. Interviews with nearly two dozen Democratic officials and operatives following her announcement this week reflect a swath of the party that would be glad if Harris didn't run in 2028. Moreover, they hope she'll stay on the sidelines in the midterms.' 'Icy Cool': How Claudia Sheinbaum is Navigating Trump's New World Order by Megan Messerly for POLITICO: 'Mexico has been in President Donald Trump's crosshairs over border security and fentanyl for more than a decade. Yet it is the sole country to win a 90-day extension on trade talks, after steep penalties on dozens of other countries kicked in Thursday. The reprieve reflects several months of behind-the-scenes work by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to cultivate a solid relationship with the ever-mercurial Trump. While the two have yet to meet in person, after a planned sit-down in Canada at the G7 summit in June was scuttled, they talk regularly on the phone.' Number of the Week Read more here. MUST READS Democratic Women in the House Are Trying to Grow Their Ranks to 100 by Grace Panetta for The 19th: 'Democrats are aiming to win back the U.S. House in the 2026 midterms, and [Elect Democratic Women] believes their path to doing it runs through women candidates: They have an ambitious goal of having 100 Democratic women simultaneously serving in the U.S. House in 2027. (There are currently 94 voting House Democratic women; five are retiring or seeking higher office in 2026). … The PAC supported 129 women running for office in the 2024 cycle, including 16 incumbents reelected to battleground House districts, 17 new Democratic women elected to the caucus and three new women elected to the U.S. Senate: Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware.' 'She Stood Up to Men with Machetes': Sandra Domínguez Fought Against Femicide in Mexico — Then Became a Victim Herself by Thomas Graham for The Guardian: 'Sandra and her husband, Alexander Hernández, might have gone down as two more victims of the violence that grips Mexico, where roughly 30,000 people are murdered each year. But this time the case shot to national attention. Sandra was a feminist activist, known for helping the families of disappeared women and for twice rocking the political establishment in Oaxaca by denouncing powerful men involved in misogynistic WhatsApp groups.' Uber's Festering Sexual Assault Problem by Emily Steel for The New York Times: 'Uber helped revolutionize global transportation by connecting strangers for shared travel. Millions of people hail cars with its app every day. The company has long maintained that the vast majority of its trips in the United States — 99.9 percent — occur without an incident of any kind. But because Uber operates at such a large scale, a fraction of a percent can translate into many attacks. From 2017 to 2022, a total of 400,181 Uber trips resulted in reports of sexual assault and sexual misconduct in the United States, court documents show. Previously, the company had disclosed 12,522 accounts of serious sexual assaults for that same time period, without indicating the total number of sexual assault and sexual misconduct reports it received.' QUOTE OF THE WEEK Read more here. on the move Amanda Hunter is now vice president of communications at the Women's Suffrage National Monument Foundation. She previously served as executive director of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation and was senior press representative at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Kristi Johnson is now comms director for Jordan Wood's Senate campaign in Maine. She previously was rapid response director for the Kamala Harris campaign in Wisconsin and was national press secretary at NextGen America. (h/t POLITICO Influence) Paula Huff is now deputy director of scheduling in the office of the secretary at the Labor Department. She most recently was director of operations for Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.). (h/t POLITICO Playbook)
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Melinda French Gates shares favorite interview from season two of her YouTube series
Melinda French Gates has opened up about season two of her YouTube series, Moments That Make Us. The series follows the philanthropist, 60, as she interviews famous women to discuss the biggest moments of their lives. In an interview with People published Wednesday, French Gates revealed highlights from the new slate of guests. Although she compared picking her favorite interview to choosing between her children, French Gates admitted how much she loved talking to Robin Roberts. 'I always feel like I don't get to see her enough,' she said. 'We have a great connection.' She specifically recalled one moment during the episode where Roberts was talking about her last moment with her mother before she died, as Roberts praised French Gates for making her cry. 'Wow you're — Oprah, is that you? You're getting me to cry,' the Good Morning America anchor said during the episode. 'I mean, what do you say? It's just really, really nice,' the philanthropist said looking back on that moment. 'I have a world of respect for Oprah and who she is and what she's done in society, particularly with her authenticity. So to me that was a huge compliment.' French Gates also mentioned which interviews from this season left her pleasantly surprised. 'The person that I interviewed this time that I had never met before was Jamie Lee Curtis,' French Gates said. 'I mean, obviously I followed her work, but you never know how you're going to connect with somebody.' The Freakier Friday actor 'came in with so much energy and authenticity,' according to French Gates, and the two ended up holding hands by the end of the episode. One particular piece of advice she remembered hearing from the Oscar winner was that your life is based on a couple of seconds that were never seen coming, and the choices made during those moments are what shape our future. 'I had never thought of it that way,' French Gates said, noting that she planned to pass along that advice to her children. In addition to Curtis, French Gates also reflected on talking with Serena Williams about body image. 'I think most women don't realize that all of us struggle with some form of body issue,' she told People. 'You might not like your arms or your legs or your hips or whatever. And here she is, just this incredibly strong, powerful woman on the court. And yet, like me, she's got to think about, 'Okay, you show up at something and everybody else's a size 4, and that's not us, and there's no costume that fits us.''
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Melinda French Gates says she refuses to give her 22-year-old daughter any money for her shopping business — here's why
With an estimated net worth of $30.7 billion, Melinda French Gates can easily bankroll her daughter's business without breaking a sweat. But at a recent summit, the billionaire philanthropist confirmed she is not funding the new venture. Gates didn't say which of her two daughters she was referring to, but 22-year-old Phoebe Gates recently launched Phia, an AI-powered shopping app, according to The Verge. Don't miss Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) You don't have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here's how 'I wouldn't put money into it,' Gates told host Amanda Davies at the *Power of Women's Sports Summit presented by e.l.f. Beauty in London. By holding back her financial support, Gates says her daughter gets the chance to test and validate the business idea with real investors and customers. If it's a 'real business,' Gates says, the venture will eventually find people willing to back it. Phia has already attracted outside capital. According to GeekWire, the startup has raised $850,000, including $100,000 from Soma Capital, a $250,000 Stanford social entrepreneurship grant and $500,000 from angel investors such as Kris Jenner and Desiree Gruber. Phoebe Gates and her co-founder, Sophia Kianni, have also secured a podcast deal to promote the venture. Her journey offers some valuable lessons for anyone looking to start a business. Look for real-world traction Despite the flashy headlines, most startups fail. Roughly 90% eventually collapse, according to the Founders Forum Group, with 42% failing because they couldn't meet market demand. In other words, the odds are stacked against you, and the most common pitfall is building something nobody wants to pay for. To avoid this trap, try to find relatively cheap and quick ways to validate your business idea. Pitch the idea to angel investors or industry experts to see if they would bet real money on the venture's success. Better yet, look for paying customers to validate your business idea before you sink too much of your own money into it. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it Customers are the best source of funding According to the Small Business Administration, about 14% of small business owners relied on friends and family for funding in 2023. More often, though, entrepreneurs turned to self-funding methods like credit cards or formal channels like banks or government agencies. One of the most popular sources of funding was the business itself. Nearly 31% of small business owners relied on the corporation's earned and retained earnings to fund and grow their ventures. In other words, paying customers can be your best source of startup capital. If you're launching something new, think about how to attract real customers first. For example, you could build a waitlist of clients who have already signalled interest in your product or service. You might also collect early deposits or presale revenue to help fund development. Getting those early customers will take time and effort, especially in marketing, but it brings two major benefits: proving there's real demand and creating early cash flow to support your growth. What to read next Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Accredited investors can now buy into this $22 trillion asset class once reserved for elites – and become the landlord of Walmart, Whole Foods or Kroger without lifting a finger. Here's how Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Sign in to access your portfolio
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Phoebe Gates education qualifications: How studying human biology at Stanford sparked her fight for women's health rights
Phoebe Adele Gates grew up in a world filled with ambition, innovation, and global change-makers. As the youngest child of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, she had no shortage of role models. But when it came to carving out her own identity, Phoebe turned to something deeply personal: education. In June 2024, Phoebe graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and a minor in African Studies, a degree earned in just three years. It wasn't just an academic achievement; it was a reflection of the purpose she had been quietly shaping for years. The making of a purpose-driven scholar Phoebe's academic journey began at Seattle's prestigious Lakeside School, the same school her father attended decades earlier. But while tech innovation ran in the family, her interests drifted toward human systems, health disparities, and the lives of women around the world. She wasn't drawn to software or business plans. She wanted to understand the body, society, and the power structures that influence well-being. By the time she arrived at Stanford, she had already begun to think globally. Choosing Human Biology as her major gave her the freedom to study science in context—linking biology with public health, gender, policy, and human rights. Her decision to add a minor in African Studies reflected a desire to look outward, to understand health and equity across borders and cultures. Learning beyond the books For Phoebe, education wasn't confined to the classroom. At Stanford, she sought real-world experiences to match her studies. One summer, she traveled to Rwanda to intern with Partners In Health, working on grassroots healthcare initiatives. The experience left a lasting impression, exposing her to the power of community-driven health systems and the need for culturally grounded solutions. She also attended high-level global events, including sessions at the United Nations General Assembly, where she listened to policymakers, activists, and scientists discuss the future of reproductive health and gender equity. These weren't just networking opportunities—they were learning labs where she saw how academic ideas translated into real-world policies. A graduation with generational meaning In June 2024, Phoebe crossed the stage at Stanford, completing her degree in just three years. The ceremony carried personal weight: her mother, Melinda French Gates, delivered the commencement address that day. It was more than a proud-parent moment. It was a passing of the torch—from one global advocate for women's rights to another. Phoebe's education had equipped her not just with knowledge, but with clarity. She knew the issues she cared about, and she was ready to act. Turning education into impact After graduation, Phoebe co-founded Phia, a digital fashion platform dedicated to sustainability and ethical consumer choices. The idea had been born in her Stanford dorm room, alongside her roommate, Sophia Kianni. Blending climate advocacy with tech, the platform aimed to help users shop more mindfully, proving that fashion and purpose could go hand in hand. Not long after, the duo launched The Burnouts, a podcast focused on the struggles and realities of being young women building startups in a high-pressure world. Through raw conversations and industry insights, they gave voice to a generation navigating both ambition and anxiety. At the same time, Phoebe remained active in reproductive rights advocacy, working with major organizations and using her platform to raise awareness about issues often sidelined in mainstream discourse. A new kind of graduate Phoebe Gates is not following in her parents' footsteps, she's walking beside them, but in a different direction. Her Stanford years were not just about academic milestones; they were about self-discovery, experimentation, and building a foundation for meaningful work. In a time when many students feel uncertain about the future, her journey offers a quiet yet powerful message: Education, when guided by purpose, can be the strongest catalyst for change. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
News18
08-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Melinda French Gates Refuses To Fund Daughter's Startup: 'If It's Real, Others Should'
Last Updated: Melinda French Gates declined to invest in her daughter startup, stressing the need for entrepreneurial resilience and the importance of struggle. Billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates shared that she refused to invest in her daughter's startup, saying that entrepreneurial resilience must be built without parental safety nets. Speaking at the Power of Women's Sports Summit, Melinda French Gates disclosed that her daughter had recently launched a business but emphasized that her success is not backed by family money. 'She got capitalized not because of my contacts, not because of me. I wouldn't put money into it," Melinda French Gates said, adding, 'If it's a real business, other investors ought to be ready to back it." Melinda French Gates emphasised the importance of struggle and feedback in shaping success and noted the disparity in funding for female entrepreneurs. She said, 'Getting funding is incredibly difficult if you are a woman," adding that true endurance and growth are born from overcoming those very obstacles. As of April 2025, Melinda French Gates has a net worth of $30.2 billion, according to Forbes. First Published: July 09, 2025, 02:24 IST
