Melinda Gates pens scorching op-ed about why she's leaving Bill Gates Foundation as she announces her own $1bn charity

Melinda Gates has written a scorching essay explaining her reasons for stepping down from the Bill Gates Foundation to start her own charity.

The philanthropist, 59, announced her departure from the Bill Gates Foundation earlier this month, revealing she would get $12.5 billion as part of the deal with her Microsoft founder ex-husband.

In a New York Times opinion piece, Melinda said that she's leaving the foundation she co-founded in order to focus on her own agenda, which has gender equality as a top priority.

'In nearly 20 years as an advocate for women and girls, I have learned that there will always be people who say it’s not the right time to talk about gender equality,' she wrote. 

'Not if you want to be relevant. Not if you want to be effective with world leaders (most of them men). The second the global agenda gets crowded, women and girls fall off.

Melinda Gates has written a scorching essay explaining her reasons for stepping down from the Bill Gates Foundation to start her own charity

In a New York Times opinion piece, Melinda said that she's leaving the foundation she co-founded in order to focus on her own agenda, which has gender equality as a top priority

'It’s frustrating and shortsighted... For too long, a lack of money has forced organizations fighting for women's rights into a defensive posture while the enemies of progress play offense. I want to help even the match.'

Melinda goes on to say that women and girls across the world and in the US face more threats to their freedoms than they have in a generation, citing the end of Roe V Wade, which protected abortion rights federally.

'As shocking as it is to contemplate, my 1-year-old granddaughter may grow up with fewer rights than I had,' the mother-of-three said. 

The philanthropist said her new charity will be giving $1billion to the National Women’s Law Center, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Center for Reproductive Rights. 

Melinda has also offered 12 people their own $20million grant0making fund to do as they wish. The grantees include former prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern and Afghan champion of girls’ education, Shabana Basij-Rasikh.

The couple are pictured with their three kids in a 2019 family photo. The kids  - Jennifer (center), Rory (right) and Phoebe (left) are now aged 25, 21 and 18

With a joint fortune of $130 billion at their peak, the Gates were among the world's richest couples until they divorced in August 2021

'I’m eager to see the landscape of funding opportunities through their eyes, and the results their approaches unlock,' Melinda wrote. 

With a joint fortune of $130 billion at their peak, the Gates were among the world's richest couples until they divorced in August 2021 after Melinda said their marriage had been 'irretrievably broken.'

The Gates' foundation is the world's largest private charitable foundation, with an endowment of $75.2 billion as of December 2023 according to its website.

Bill and Melinda met in 1987 - the same year he became the world's youngest billionaire at the age of 31.

They went on to marry in Hawaii in 1994, and have three children together: Jennifer, 28, Rory, 24, and Phoebe, 21.

Bill and Melinda met in 1987 - the same year he became the world's youngest billionaire at the age of 31. They are pictured in 1995

Their divorce came amid rumors about Gates' checkered love life after it emerged he had an affair with a Russian bridge player, and that Jeffrey Epstein had tried to 'extort' him over the relationship.

Their divorce came amid rumors about Gates' checkered love life after it emerged he had an affair with a Russian bridge player, and that Jeffrey Epstein had tried to 'extort' him over the relationship.

The Microsoft founder claims he never had any business relationship or friendship with Epstein, and their meetings were solely to discuss philanthropic ventures.

He is dating philanthropist Paula Hurd, 60. They were last seen together at the Academy Museum for Motion Pictures in Los Angeles for a black tie event celebrating major scientific achievements of the year.

Melinda's op-ed comes after she fueled romance rumors when she stepped out donning a blinding diamond ring, prompting many to question whether she was planning to walk down the aisle with her former Fox News anchor boyfriend Jon Du Pre, who she was first linked with back in 2022.

Melinda's op-ed comes after she fueled romance rumors when she stepped out donning a blinding diamond ring 

The 59-year-old billionaire was seen wearing the large bauble during an outing in New York on Sunday - hours after she debuted it for the first time 

Many were shocked when news hit the web that Melinda, 59, and former Fox News anchor Jon, 65, were dating back in 2022 - since he had an extremely controversial past

But the billionaire philanthropist quickly shut down any suggestion that she and Jon, 65, are headed for the altar when she addressed the speculation in a statement via her rep confirming that the pair have broken up - and insisting that she is not currently engaged to anyone. 

Many were shocked when news hit the web that Melinda and Jon were dating back in 2022 - particularly because the former Fox News anchor appeared to be the complete opposite of her ex-husband, Bill, and also had an extremely controversial past that saw him admitting to abusing his wife while still living with the Mormon religion.

Ex-Mormon Jon once admitted to verbally abusing his previous wife, writing in his memoir about how he would erupt in fits of 'explosive rage' that left her 'cowering' in fear.

He recalled calling his ex as a 'spoon-fed, spoiled-rotten b***h' in the book, and openly admitted to 'embarrassing her in front of their friends' and 'blaming her' for any 'little thing that went wrong' during the relationship.

Melinda first revealed back in March 2022 that she was officially 'dipping her toes' into the dating world again during an appearance on CBS Mornings (seen)

One month later, she and Jon were spotted attending a Brooklyn Nets basketball game together (seen). They also spent time in November at the lavish five-star hotel Pelican Hill

While the exact details surrounding the start of their romance are still unclear, Melinda first revealed back in March 2022 that she was officially 'dipping her toes' into the dating world again following her divorce from Bill.

At the time, she told CBS Mornings host Gayle King that she was 'definitely' open to finding love again - and even revealed that she had already met some suitors.

'It's interesting at this point,' she said with a giggle. 'You know, I'm dipping my toe in that water a little bit.

'I feel like, I'm in a really good place. And I'm really, really excited about my life and about the world - the work ahead.'

One month later, she and Jon were spotted attending a Brooklyn Nets basketball game together.

And in November 2022, TMZ reported that the philanthropist and her new boyfriend were spending some intimate time at the lavish five-star hotel Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, California.

They haven't been photographed together since then.