Terming her meeting with Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates at Davos as “impactful”, former Union Minister Smriti Irani said Thursday they “reaffirmed our shared dedication to empowering women”.
Ms Irani, founder and chairperson of Alliance for Global Good- Gender Equity and Equality, announced on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting a partnership of the alliance with the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Anchored in the CII Centre for Women Leadership, supported by the Gates Foundation and with the World Economic Forum as its network partner, the Alliance focuses on three core pillars of health, women’s enterprise, and education and skilling.
Talking about the collaboration, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said the partnership is rooted in our shared vision of empowering women and girls across the 56 Commonwealth nations through education, skills development and economic inclusion.
The Alliance was launched last year on the sidelines of the WEF Annual Meeting 2024 and is supported by the Gates Foundation.
“An impactful meeting with @BillGates at #WEF25 to discuss ways to further strengthen the Alliance for Global Good: Gender Equity and Equality. Grateful for his invaluable support and insights in driving this initiative forward. Together, we reaffirmed our shared dedication to empowering women and fostering a more equitable world through collaboration, innovation, and transformative partnerships,” the BJP leader posted on X, along with pictures from the meeting.
An impactful meeting with @BillGates at #WEF25 to discuss ways to further strengthen the Alliance for Global Good: Gender Equity and Equality. Grateful for his invaluable support and insights in driving this initiative forward.
Together, we reaffirmed our shared dedication to… pic.twitter.com/K3MiBn90WX
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) January 23, 2025
“The Alliance, supported by the @gatesfoundation, stands as a powerful example of what collective leadership and a united vision can achieve in the pursuit of gender equity. Excited to continue this journey of elevating women-led development as a global force for meaningful change,” she said further.
The Alliance, in partnership with the Women Collective Forum, has designed the 100K initiative, which aims to engage and equip 1,00,000 women – corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals across India.