Bill and Melinda Gates’s foundation announced on Wednesday that it would spend $2.1 billion to advance global gender equality.
Private donors, government officials and civil society leaders gathered at the Generation Equality Forum convened by UN Women in Paris to make financial and political commitments to aid women and girls.
Ms Gates also pledged another $1.4bn for women’s sexual health and reproductive rights.
“When women have the right to access contraceptives, and time and space the births of their children, it leads not just to their empowerment, but to decades and generations of empowerment,” said Ms Gates, a panellist at the summit.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said it would spend the money in the next five years on health and family planning programmes, economic empowerment projects and other initiatives.
Advancing gender equality is a core area for the Seattle-based foundation, the largest private charitable group in the US, with an endowment of nearly $50bn.
It gives about $5bn annually through its philanthropic work, but its future and leadership structure have been called into question after Bill and Melinda’s recent divorce.
At the summit, one of the UN’s young champions in Zambia, Yande Banda, was given a standing ovation after her fiery speech calling on world leaders in the room to stand up for better education for girls.
“If you’re with us and if you’re for our future, then stand up. Stand for our future," Ms Banda told the leaders.
"Stand for our funding. Stand for our education. This is no longer an ‘if’ issue. We must be at the table, we must be sure girls are getting back to school and we must do it now.”
The Generation Equality Forum, marking the 25th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing women’s conference, was delayed from last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and will be mainly held online.
It is a follow-up to a forum in Mexico City in March and is co-chaired by France and Mexico.
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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
The biog
DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
HOW TO WATCH
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