Gates Foundation launches research hub for women’s economic empowerment

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has launched a new knowledge hub to share findings from four years of research into women’s economic empowerment. The initiative focuses on how low-income women can build secure livelihoods and expand economic opportunities.

Drawing on data from seven countries—India, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda—the work identifies eight key lessons regarding economic opportunity. These lessons cover various economic stages, including women moving from subsistence to stability, those building resilience, and entrepreneurs seeking growth.

The collection includes research papers, learning briefs, and interviews. A featured 2024 white paper, ‘Women and Equitable Growth in a Resource-Constrained World’, examines methods for expanding access to affordable capital for female entrepreneurs in Africa. The research emphasizes looking beyond individual financial products to address the broader systems that dictate capital access.