While gender has always been at the heart of the foundation’s work (as evidenced by past investments in areas such as family planning; maternal, newborn, and child health; and nutrition), in 2017 the foundation approved its first strategy focused explicitly on advancing gender equality.
To determine the right approach for the foundation, we interviewed experts and analyzed evidence and data from nearly 100 countries. Our research and conversations explored the interplay between women’s economic empowerment and gender equality and highlighted the many barriers to economic empowerment faced by women and girls throughout the world. These findings led us to focus on women's economic empowerment, which has far-reaching positive effects on the lives of women and girls as well as the economy and society more broadly.
We’re grateful to our many partners, grantees, and expert advisors who played a vital role in collecting evidence and research for this work. A special thanks goes to our colleagues at McKinsey & Company for their partnership in helping develop the foundation’s global framework on women’s economic empowerment. We’d also like to thank Intentional Futures for their content strategy and design leadership on this project.