TEDxChange
Melinda Gates: Let's put birth control back on the agenda
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Contraception. The topic has become controversial in recent years. But should it be? Melinda Gates believes that many of the world's social change issues depend on ensuring that women are able to control their rate of having kids. In this significant talk at TEDxChange, she makes the case for the world to re-examine an issue she intends to lend her voice to for the next decade.
Melinda Gates - Philanthropist
Melinda French Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she puts into practice the idea that every life has equal value. Full bio
Melinda French Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she puts into practice the idea that every life has equal value. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:04
Today, I'd like to talk with you
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about something that should be
a totally uncontroversial topic.
a totally uncontroversial topic.
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But, unfortunately,
it's become incredibly controversial.
it's become incredibly controversial.
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This year, if you think about it,
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over a billion couples
will have sex with one another.
will have sex with one another.
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Couples like this one,
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and this one,
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and this one,
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and, yes,
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even this one.
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(Laughter)
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And my idea is this --
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all these men and women
should be free to decide
should be free to decide
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whether they do or do not
want to conceive a child.
want to conceive a child.
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And they should be able to use
one of these birth control methods
one of these birth control methods
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to act on their decision.
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Now, I think you'd have a hard time
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finding many people
who disagree with this idea.
who disagree with this idea.
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01:00
Over one billion people use birth control
without any hesitation at all.
without any hesitation at all.
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They want the power
to plan their own lives
to plan their own lives
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and to raise healthier, better educated
and more prosperous families.
and more prosperous families.
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But, for an idea that is
so broadly accepted in private,
so broadly accepted in private,
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birth control certainly generates
a lot of opposition in public.
a lot of opposition in public.
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Some people think
when we talk about contraception
when we talk about contraception
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that it's code for abortion,
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which it's not.
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Some people -- let's be honest --
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they're uncomfortable with the topic
because it's about sex.
because it's about sex.
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Some people worry
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that the real goal of family planning
is to control populations.
is to control populations.
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These are all side issues
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that have attached themselves
to this core idea that men and women
to this core idea that men and women
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should be able to decide
when they want to have a child.
when they want to have a child.
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And as a result, birth control has
almost completely and totally disappeared
almost completely and totally disappeared
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from the global health agenda.
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The victims of this paralysis
are the people of sub-Saharan Africa
are the people of sub-Saharan Africa
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and South Asia.
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Here in Germany, the proportion of people
that use contraception
that use contraception
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is about 66 percent.
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That's about what you'd expect.
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In El Salvador, very similar, 66 percent.
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Thailand, 64 percent.
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But let's compare that to other places,
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like Uttar Pradesh,
one of the largest states in India.
one of the largest states in India.
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In fact, if Uttar Pradesh
was its own country,
was its own country,
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it would be the fifth largest
country in the world.
country in the world.
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Their contraception rate -- 29 percent.
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Nigeria, the most populous
country in Africa, 10 percent.
country in Africa, 10 percent.
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Chad, 2 percent.
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Let's just take one country
in Africa, Senegal.
in Africa, Senegal.
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Their rate is about 12 percent.
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But why is it so low?
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One reason is that the most popular
contraceptives are rarely available.
contraceptives are rarely available.
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Women in Africa will tell you
over and over again
over and over again
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that what they prefer today
is an injectable.
is an injectable.
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They get it in their arm --
and they go about four times a year,
and they go about four times a year,
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they have to get it every three months --
to get their injection.
to get their injection.
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The reason women like it so much in Africa
is they can hide it from their husbands,
is they can hide it from their husbands,
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who sometimes want a lot of children.
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The problem is every other time
a woman goes into a clinic in Senegal,
a woman goes into a clinic in Senegal,
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that injection is stocked out.
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It's stocked out 150 days out of the year.
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So can you imagine the situation --
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she walks all this way
to go get her injection.
to go get her injection.
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She leaves her field,
sometimes leaves her children,
sometimes leaves her children,
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and it's not there.
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And she doesn't know
when it's going to be available again.
when it's going to be available again.
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This is the same story
across the continent of Africa today.
across the continent of Africa today.
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And so what we've created as a world
has become a life-and-death crisis.
has become a life-and-death crisis.
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There are 100,000 women [per year]
who say they don't want to be pregnant
who say they don't want to be pregnant
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and they die in childbirth --
100,000 women a year.
100,000 women a year.
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There are another 600,000 women [per year]
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who say they didn't want to be pregnant
in the first place,
in the first place,
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and they give birth to a baby
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and her baby dies
in that first month of life.
in that first month of life.
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I know everyone wants to save
these mothers and these children.
these mothers and these children.
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But somewhere along the way,
we got confused by our own conversation.
we got confused by our own conversation.
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And we stopped trying to save these lives.
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So if we're going to make
progress on this issue,
progress on this issue,
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we have to be really clear
about what our agenda is.
about what our agenda is.
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We're not talking about abortion.
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We're not talking
about population control.
about population control.
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What I'm talking about is giving women
the power to save their lives,
the power to save their lives,
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to save their children's lives
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and to give their families
the best possible future.
the best possible future.
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05:28
Now, as a world,
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there are lots of things we have to do
in the global health community
in the global health community
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if we want to make the world
better in the future --
better in the future --
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things like fight diseases.
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So many children today die of diarrhea,
as you heard earlier, and pneumonia.
as you heard earlier, and pneumonia.
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They kill literally
millions of children a year.
millions of children a year.
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We also need to help small farmers --
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farmers who plow
small plots of land in Africa --
small plots of land in Africa --
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so that they can grow enough food
to feed their children.
to feed their children.
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And we have to make sure that
children are educated around the world.
children are educated around the world.
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05:59
But one of the simplest
and most transformative things we can do
and most transformative things we can do
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is to give everybody access
to birth control methods
to birth control methods
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that almost all Germans have access to
and all Americans, at some point,
and all Americans, at some point,
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they use these tools during their life.
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And I think as long as we're really clear
about what our agenda is,
about what our agenda is,
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there's a global movement
waiting to happen
waiting to happen
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and ready to get behind
this totally uncontroversial idea.
this totally uncontroversial idea.
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When I grew up,
I grew up in a Catholic home.
I grew up in a Catholic home.
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I still consider myself
a practicing Catholic.
a practicing Catholic.
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My mom's great-uncle was a Jesuit priest.
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My great-aunt was a Dominican nun.
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She was a schoolteacher
and a principal her entire life.
and a principal her entire life.
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In fact, she's the one who taught me
as a young girl how to read.
as a young girl how to read.
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I was very close to her.
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And I went to Catholic schools
for my entire childhood
for my entire childhood
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until I left home to go to university.
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In my high school, Ursuline Academy,
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the nuns made service and social justice
a high priority in the school.
a high priority in the school.
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Today, in the [Gates] Foundation's work,
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I believe I'm applying the lessons
that I learned in high school.
that I learned in high school.
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So, in the tradition of Catholic scholars,
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the nuns also taught us
to question received teachings.
to question received teachings.
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And one of the teachings that we girls
and my peers questioned
and my peers questioned
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was is birth control really a sin?
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Because I think one of the reasons
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we have this huge discomfort
talking about contraception
talking about contraception
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is this lingering concern
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that if we separate sex from reproduction,
we're going to promote promiscuity.
we're going to promote promiscuity.
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And I think that's a reasonable question
to be asked about contraception --
to be asked about contraception --
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what is its impact on sexual morality?
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But, like most women,
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my decision about birth control
had nothing to do with promiscuity.
had nothing to do with promiscuity.
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I had a plan for my future.
I wanted to go to college.
I wanted to go to college.
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I studied really hard in college,
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and I was proud to be one of the very few
female computer science graduates
female computer science graduates
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at my university.
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I wanted to have a career,
so I went on to business school
so I went on to business school
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and I became one of the youngest
female executives at Microsoft.
female executives at Microsoft.
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I still remember, though,
when I left my parents' home
when I left my parents' home
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to move across the country
to start this new job at Microsoft.
to start this new job at Microsoft.
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They had sacrificed a lot
to give me five years of higher education.
to give me five years of higher education.
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But they said, as I left home --
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and I literally went down the front steps,
down the porch at home --
down the porch at home --
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and they said,
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"Even though you've had
this great education,
this great education,
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if you decide to get married
and have kids right away,
and have kids right away,
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that's OK by us, too."
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They wanted me to do the thing
that would make me the very happiest.
that would make me the very happiest.
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I was free to decide what that would be.
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It was an amazing feeling.
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In fact, I did want to have kids --
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but I wanted to have them
when I was ready.
when I was ready.
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And so now, Bill and I have three.
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And when our eldest daughter was born,
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we weren't, I would say,
exactly sure how to be great parents.
exactly sure how to be great parents.
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Maybe some of you know that feeling.
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And so we waited a little while
before we had our second child.
before we had our second child.
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And it's no accident
that we have three children
that we have three children
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that are spaced three years apart.
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Now, as a mother, what do I want
the very most for my children?
the very most for my children?
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I want them to feel the way I did --
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like they can do anything
they want to do in life.
they want to do in life.
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And so, what has struck me
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as I've travelled the last decade
for the foundation around the world
for the foundation around the world
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is that all women want that same thing.
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Last year, I was in Nairobi, in the slums,
in one called Korogocho --
in one called Korogocho --
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which literally means when translated,
"standing shoulder to shoulder."
"standing shoulder to shoulder."
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And I spoke with this women's group
that's pictured here.
that's pictured here.
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And the women talked very openly
about their family life in the slums,
about their family life in the slums,
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what it was like.
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And they talked quite intimately
about what they did for birth control.
about what they did for birth control.
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Marianne, in the center of the screen
in the red sweater,
in the red sweater,
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she summed up that entire
two-hour conversation
two-hour conversation
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in a phrase that I will never forget.
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She said, "I want to bring
every good thing to this child
every good thing to this child
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before I have another."
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And I thought -- that's it.
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That's universal.
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We all want to bring
every good thing to our children.
every good thing to our children.
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But what's not universal is our ability
to provide every good thing.
to provide every good thing.
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So many women suffer
from domestic violence.
from domestic violence.
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And they can't even
broach the subject of contraception,
broach the subject of contraception,
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even inside their own marriage.
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There are many women
who lack basic education.
who lack basic education.
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Even many of the women
who do have knowledge and do have power
who do have knowledge and do have power
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don't have access to contraceptives.
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For 250 years, parents around the world
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have been deciding
to have smaller families.
to have smaller families.
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This trend has been steady
for a quarter of a millennium,
for a quarter of a millennium,
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across cultures and across geographies,
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with the glaring exception
of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
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The French started bringing down
their family size in the mid-1700s.
their family size in the mid-1700s.
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And over the next 150 years,
this trend spread all across Europe.
this trend spread all across Europe.
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The surprising thing to me,
as I learned this history,
as I learned this history,
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was that it spread not along socioeconomic
lines but around cultural lines.
lines but around cultural lines.
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People who spoke the same language
made that change as a group.
made that change as a group.
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They made the same choice
for their family,
for their family,
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whether they were rich
or whether they were poor.
or whether they were poor.
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The reason that trend
toward smaller families spread
toward smaller families spread
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was that this whole way
was driven by an idea --
was driven by an idea --
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the idea that couples
can exercise conscious control
can exercise conscious control
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over how many children they have.
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This is a very powerful idea.
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It means that parents have
the ability to affect the future,
the ability to affect the future,
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not just accept it as it is.
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In France, the average family size
went down every decade
went down every decade
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for 150 years in a row
until it stabilized.
until it stabilized.
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It took so long back then because
the contraceptives weren't that good.
the contraceptives weren't that good.
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In Germany, this transition started
in the 1880s, and it took just 50 years
in the 1880s, and it took just 50 years
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for family size
to stabilize in this country.
to stabilize in this country.
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And in Asia and Latin America,
the transition started in the 1960s,
the transition started in the 1960s,
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and it happened much faster
because of modern contraception.
because of modern contraception.
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I think, as we go through this history,
it's important to pause for a moment
it's important to pause for a moment
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and to remember why this has become
such a contentious issue.
such a contentious issue.
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It's because some family planning programs
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resorted to unfortunate incentives
and coercive policies.
and coercive policies.
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For instance, in the 1960s, India
adopted very specific numeric targets
adopted very specific numeric targets
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and they paid women to accept
having an IUD placed in their bodies.
having an IUD placed in their bodies.
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Now, Indian women were
really smart in this situation.
really smart in this situation.
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When they went to get an IUD inserted,
they got paid six rupees.
they got paid six rupees.
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And so what did they do?
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They waited a few hours or a few days,
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and they went to another service provider
and had the IUD removed for one rupee.
and had the IUD removed for one rupee.
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For decades in the United States,
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African-American women
were sterilized without their consent.
were sterilized without their consent.
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The procedure was so common
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it became known as
the Mississippi appendectomy --
the Mississippi appendectomy --
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a tragic chapter in my country's history.
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And as recently as the 1990s, in Peru,
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women from the Andes region
were given anesthesia
were given anesthesia
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and they were sterilized
without their knowledge.
without their knowledge.
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The most startling thing about this
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is that these coercive policies
weren't even needed.
weren't even needed.
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They were carried out in places
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where parents already
wanted to lower their family size.
wanted to lower their family size.
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Because in region after region,
again and again,
again and again,
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parents have wanted
to have smaller families.
to have smaller families.
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There's no reason to believe
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that African women
have innately different desires.
have innately different desires.
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Given the option,
they will have fewer children.
they will have fewer children.
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The question is:
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will we invest in helping
all women get what they want now?
all women get what they want now?
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Or, are we going to condemn them
to some century-long struggle,
to some century-long struggle,
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as if this was still revolutionary France
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and the best method
was coitus interruptus?
was coitus interruptus?
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Empowering parents --
it doesn't need justification.
it doesn't need justification.
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But here's the thing -- our desire
to bring every good thing to our children
to bring every good thing to our children
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is a force for good throughout the world.
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It's what propels societies forward.
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In that same slum in Nairobi,
I met a young businesswoman,
I met a young businesswoman,
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16:02
and she was making backpacks
out of her home.
out of her home.
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She and her young kids
would go to the local jeans factory
would go to the local jeans factory
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16:08
and collect scraps of denim.
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She'd create these backpacks
and resell them.
and resell them.
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16:12
And when I talked with her,
she had three children,
she had three children,
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and I asked her about her family.
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And she said she and her husband decided
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16:18
that they wanted to stop
having children after their third one.
having children after their third one.
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16:21
And so when I asked her why,
she simply said,
she simply said,
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"Well, because I couldn't run
my business if I had another child."
my business if I had another child."
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16:27
And she explained the income
that she was getting out of her business
that she was getting out of her business
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16:31
afforded her to be able to give
an education to all three of her children.
an education to all three of her children.
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16:35
She was incredibly optimistic
about her family's future.
about her family's future.
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This is the same mental calculus
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that hundreds of millions
of men and women have gone through.
of men and women have gone through.
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16:47
And evidence proves
that they have it exactly right.
that they have it exactly right.
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16:52
They are able to give their children
more opportunities
more opportunities
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16:56
by exercising control
over when they have them.
over when they have them.
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In Bangladesh,
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17:02
there's a district called Matlab.
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17:04
It's where researchers have collected data
on over 180,000 inhabitants since 1963.
on over 180,000 inhabitants since 1963.
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17:11
In the global health community,
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17:12
we like to say it's one of the longest
pieces of research that's been running.
pieces of research that's been running.
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17:16
We have so many great health statistics.
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17:18
In one of the studies, what did they do?
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17:21
Half the villagers
were chosen to get contraceptives.
were chosen to get contraceptives.
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17:25
They got education
and access to contraception.
and access to contraception.
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17:28
Twenty years later,
following those villages,
following those villages,
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17:31
what we learned is that they had a better
quality of life than their neighbors.
quality of life than their neighbors.
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17:35
The families were healthier.
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17:37
The women were less likely
to die in childbirth.
to die in childbirth.
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17:40
Their children were less likely
to die in the first thirty days of life.
to die in the first thirty days of life.
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17:44
The children were better nourished.
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17:47
The families were also wealthier.
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17:49
The adult women's wages were higher.
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17:51
Households had more assets --
things like livestock or land or savings.
things like livestock or land or savings.
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17:56
Finally, their sons and daughters
had more schooling.
had more schooling.
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18:01
So when you multiply these types
of effects over millions of families,
of effects over millions of families,
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18:07
the product can be large-scale
economic development.
economic development.
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18:11
People talk about the Asian
economic miracle of the 1980s --
economic miracle of the 1980s --
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18:15
but it wasn't really a miracle.
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18:17
One of the leading causes
of economic growth across that region
of economic growth across that region
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18:21
was this cultural trend
towards smaller families.
towards smaller families.
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18:26
Sweeping changes start
at the individual family level --
at the individual family level --
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18:30
the family making a decision
about what's best for their children.
about what's best for their children.
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18:35
When they make that change
and that decision,
and that decision,
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18:38
those become sweeping
regional and national trends.
regional and national trends.
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18:43
When families in sub-Saharan Africa
are given the opportunity
are given the opportunity
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18:47
to make those decisions for themselves,
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18:50
I think it will help spark
a virtuous cycle of development
a virtuous cycle of development
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18:53
in communities across the continent.
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18:58
We can help poor families
build a better future.
build a better future.
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19:01
We can insist that all people
have the opportunity
have the opportunity
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19:05
to learn about contraceptives
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19:07
and have access
to the full variety of methods.
to the full variety of methods.
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19:12
I think the goal here is really clear:
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19:14
universal access to birth control
that women want.
that women want.
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19:20
And for that to happen, it means that
both rich and poor governments alike
both rich and poor governments alike
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19:25
must make contraception a total priority.
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19:29
We can do our part,
in this room and globally,
in this room and globally,
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19:33
by talking about the hundreds
of millions of families
of millions of families
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19:37
that don't have access
to contraception today
to contraception today
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19:39
and what it would do to change
their lives if they did have access.
their lives if they did have access.
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19:44
I think if Marianne
and the members of her women's group
and the members of her women's group
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3736
19:48
can talk about this openly
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19:50
and have this discussion
out amongst themselves and in public,
out amongst themselves and in public,
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19:54
we can, too.
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19:56
And we need to start now.
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19:59
Because like Marianne, we all want
to bring every good thing to our children.
to bring every good thing to our children.
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20:06
And where is the controversy in that?
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20:10
Thank you.
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20:11
(Applause)
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Chris Anderson: Thank you.
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20:22
I have some questions for Melinda.
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(Applause ends)
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Thank you for your courage
and everything else.
and everything else.
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20:31
So, Melinda, in the last few years
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20:34
I've heard a lot of smart people
say something to the effect of,
say something to the effect of,
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20:39
"We don't need to worry
about the population issue anymore.
about the population issue anymore.
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20:42
Family sizes are coming down
naturally all over the world.
naturally all over the world.
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20:46
We're going to peak
at nine or 10 billion. And that's it."
at nine or 10 billion. And that's it."
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20:50
Are they wrong?
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20:51
Melinda Gates: If you look
at the statistics across Africa,
at the statistics across Africa,
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20:54
they are wrong.
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20:56
And I think we need to look at it,
though, from a different lens.
though, from a different lens.
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20:59
We need to look at it
from the ground upwards.
from the ground upwards.
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21:01
I think that's one of the reasons
we got ourselves in so much trouble
we got ourselves in so much trouble
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21:04
on this issue of contraception.
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21:06
We looked at it from top down
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21:07
and said we want to have different
population numbers over time.
population numbers over time.
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21:11
Yes, we care about the planet.
Yes, we need to make the right choices.
Yes, we need to make the right choices.
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21:14
But the choices have to be made
at the family level.
at the family level.
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21:17
And it's only by giving people access
and letting them choose what to do
and letting them choose what to do
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21:21
that you get those sweeping changes
that we have seen globally --
that we have seen globally --
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21:24
except for sub-Saharan Africa and those
places in South Asia and Afghanistan.
places in South Asia and Afghanistan.
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21:31
CA: Some people on the right in America
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21:34
and in many conservative cultures
around the world
around the world
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21:39
might say something like this:
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21:41
"It's all very well to talk about saving
lives and empowering women and so on.
lives and empowering women and so on.
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21:44
But, sex is sacred.
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21:48
What you're proposing
is going to increase the likelihood
is going to increase the likelihood
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21:52
that lots of sex happens outside marriage.
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21:54
And that is wrong."
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21:56
What would you say to them?
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21:58
MG: I would say
that sex is absolutely sacred.
that sex is absolutely sacred.
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22:01
And it's sacred in Germany,
and it's sacred in the United States,
and it's sacred in the United States,
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22:05
and it's sacred in France
and so many places around the world.
and so many places around the world.
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22:08
And the fact that 98 percent of women
in my country who are sexually experienced
in my country who are sexually experienced
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22:13
say they use birth control
doesn't make sex any less sacred.
doesn't make sex any less sacred.
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22:17
It just means that they're getting
to make choices about their lives.
to make choices about their lives.
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22:20
And I think in that choice,
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22:21
we're also honoring
the sacredness of the family
the sacredness of the family
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22:24
and the sacredness of the mother's life
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22:27
and the childrens' lives
by saving their lives.
by saving their lives.
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22:29
To me, that's incredibly sacred, too.
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22:32
CA: So what is your foundation
doing to promote this issue?
doing to promote this issue?
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22:37
And what could people here
and people listening on the web --
and people listening on the web --
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22:41
what would you like them to do?
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22:43
MG: I would say this --
join the conversation.
join the conversation.
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22:45
We've listed the website up here.
Join the conversation.
Join the conversation.
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22:49
Tell your story about how contraception
has either changed your life
has either changed your life
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22:53
or somebody's life that you know.
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22:55
And say that you're for this.
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22:56
We need a groundswell
of people saying, "This makes sense.
of people saying, "This makes sense.
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22:59
We've got to give all women access --
no matter where they live."
no matter where they live."
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23:02
And one of the things
that we're going to do
that we're going to do
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23:05
is do a large event July 11 in London,
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23:08
with a whole host of countries,
a whole host of African nations,
a whole host of African nations,
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23:11
to all say we're putting this back
on the global health agenda.
on the global health agenda.
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23:14
We're going to commit resources to it,
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23:16
and we're going to do planning
from the bottom up with governments
from the bottom up with governments
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23:19
to make sure that women are educated --
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23:21
so that if they
want the tool, they have it,
want the tool, they have it,
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23:24
and that they have
lots of options available
lots of options available
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23:26
either through
their local healthcare worker
their local healthcare worker
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23:28
or their local community rural clinic.
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23:31
CA: Melinda, I'm guessing that some
of those nuns who taught you at school
of those nuns who taught you at school
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are going to see
this TED Talk at some point.
this TED Talk at some point.
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23:39
Are they going to be horrified,
or are they cheering you on?
or are they cheering you on?
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23:42
MG: I know they're going
to see the TED Talk
to see the TED Talk
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23:45
because they know that I'm doing it
and I plan to send it to them.
and I plan to send it to them.
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23:48
And, you know, the nuns who taught me
were incredibly progressive.
were incredibly progressive.
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23:51
I hope that they'll be very proud of me
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23:53
for living out what they taught us
about social justice and service.
about social justice and service.
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23:57
I have come to feel
incredibly passionate about this issue
incredibly passionate about this issue
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24:01
because of what I've seen
in the developing world.
in the developing world.
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24:03
And for me, this topic
has become very close to heart
has become very close to heart
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4856
24:08
because you meet these women
and they are so often voiceless.
and they are so often voiceless.
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24:11
And yet they shouldn't be --
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24:13
they should have a voice,
they should have access.
they should have access.
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24:15
And so I hope they'll feel
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24:17
that I'm living out
what I've learned from them
what I've learned from them
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2816
24:19
and from the decades of work
that I've already done at the foundation.
that I've already done at the foundation.
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3286
24:24
CA: So, you and your team brought together
today an amazing group of speakers
today an amazing group of speakers
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24:28
to whom we're all grateful.
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Did you learn anything?
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24:33
(Laughter)
401
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24:34
MG: Oh my gosh, I learned so many things.
I have so many follow-up questions.
I have so many follow-up questions.
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24:38
And I think a lot
of this work is a journey.
of this work is a journey.
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2256
24:40
You heard the discussion
about the journey through energy,
about the journey through energy,
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3856
24:44
or the journey through social design,
405
1480760
2336
24:47
or the journey in the coming and saying,
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1920
24:49
"Why aren't there any women
on this platform?"
on this platform?"
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2152
24:51
And I think for all of us who work
on these development issues,
on these development issues,
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24:54
you learn by talking to other people.
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24:56
You learn by doing.
You learn by trying and making mistakes.
You learn by trying and making mistakes.
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24:59
And it's the questions you ask.
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25:00
Sometimes it's the questions you ask
that helps lead to the answer
that helps lead to the answer
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25:04
the next person
that can help you answer it.
that can help you answer it.
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25:06
So I have lots of questions
for the panelists from today.
for the panelists from today.
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25:09
And I thought it was just an amazing day.
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25:11
CA: Melinda, thank you for inviting
all of us on this journey with you.
all of us on this journey with you.
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Thank you so much.
MG: Great. Thanks, Chris.
MG: Great. Thanks, Chris.
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2048
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Melinda Gates - PhilanthropistMelinda French Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she puts into practice the idea that every life has equal value.
Why you should listen
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. As co-chair, Melinda French Gates helps shape and approve strategies, review results, advocate for foundation issues and set the overall direction. In developing countries, the foundation focuses on improving people's health with vaccines and other life-saving tools and giving them a chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to dramatically improve education so that all young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.
In recent years, Melinda French Gates has become a vocal advocate for access to contraception, advancing the idea that empowering women to decide whether and when to have children can have transformational effects on societies. In 2012, Gates spearheaded the London Summit on Family Planning, with the goal of delivering contraceptives to 120 million women in developing countries by 2020. When asked why she got involved in this issue, Gates said, "We knew that 210 million women were saying they wanted access to the contraceptives we have here in the United States and we weren't providing them because of political controversy in our country. To me, that was just a crime. I kept looking around trying to find the person to get this back on the global stage. I realized I just had to do it."
Melinda Gates | Speaker | TED.com