Gates Foundation: Empowering Women Is Key to Fighting Poverty

In 2006, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet donated $31 billion in company stock to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As a way of outlining just what the Gates family did with the "single biggest gift anyone ever gave anybody for anything," the couple have penned a lengthy report. The big takeaway is that the most impact will come from social change—not tech. Considering where Bill Gates worked, that might surprise you.

Specifically, the couple highlighted access to immunizations and empowering women to take control of their sexuality via contraceptives and support groups as the keys to improving our world.

"Limiting women's power keeps everyone poor," Melinda says.

Bill and Melinda also have a keen interest in keeping child mortality rates on its downward trend. Melinda writes that it's the bedrock of the foundation and that "virtually all" of society's advances, including economic growth, gender equity and access to contraceptives, are reflected in the child mortality rate.