Effective Altruism Needs a Gender Lens

You can read the published article on Inside Philanthropy here.

Over the years, you may have heard of the idea of effective altruism. It is a philosophical movement founded by my dear friend, Peter Singer, that I, and many of our donors have long supported. It forces us to question not just are we doing good, but are we doing good well? Effective altruism appeals to our logical side and ensures that the organizations we give to are truly going to do the most good in the least costly manner. 

The leading effective altruism organization, GiveWell, is one that I greatly admire but over the years I have come to realize that it is missing something from its mission.

A Call for More Effective Altruism

The statement “All lives have equal value” is not up for debate. But I would add to it. Yes, all lives do have equal value, but can you honestly say that men and women are treated as if their lives truly had equal value? This is a question I have been ruminating on for quite some time. I wrote an opinion piece on this topic for Inside Philanthropy which was published yesterday.

The answer that I settled on is simple: Effective altruism needs a gender lens. 

I will shout my admiration of the effective altruism (EA) movement from the mountaintops, but after working for two decades to change the lives of women and girls, I’ve come to see that the EA movement as a whole has a huge blindspot. EA organizations give equal weight to problems that affect men and women, despite clear evidence that women face more obstacles than men and spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men. In low-income countries in particular, women receive less schooling, have less political and economic power, and face greater risk of violence than men. 

The leading EA organization, GiveWell, has relieved immense suffering, and I sincerely hope that it continues that good work. I am simply proposing a “Yes, and” approach: We need a new organization that’s inspired by the principles of effective altruism yet focused on researching and recommending nonprofits with a proven ability to improve the well-being of women and girls.

This is an issue that has long been overlooked, but philanthropists such as Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott are addressing it with bold action. When I saw these women advancing the conversation about gender equality in the philanthropy space, I knew it was the right time to add my ideas to the mix. 

Here are Organizations Doing the Work

Many organizations are effectively fighting the symptoms of gender inequity, and increasing the power of women and girls. Here are some on our radar, which would benefit from a new EA organization dedicated to evening the playing field for women and girls: 

CAMFED - Campaign for Female Education

Camfed focuses on girls’ education in rural Africa, aiming to overcome poverty and gender barriers. It provides support to ensure girls can attend school, learn, succeed, and become leaders. By investing in girls’ education, Camfed promotes sustainable community development and empowers future generations.

Room to Read

Room to Read works to ensure that children—especially girls—in low-income communities gain literacy skills and form a reading habit. It collaborates with governments to promote education, and aims to eradicate illiteracy and gender inequality. Room to Read’s programs not only enhance literacy, but also inspire a lifelong love of learning among children.

MSI Reproductive Choices UK

MSI Reproductive Choices provides access to contraception and abortion services globally, advocating for reproductive rights. Itaims to improve healthcare access by fighting stigma and misinformation around reproductive services. Through comprehensive care, MSI Choices empowers women to make informed choices about their bodies and futures.

Women Moving Millions

This organization mobilizes resources to support gender equality initiatives through a community of members who have committed more than $1 billion to improve the lives of women and girls. Women Moving Millions emphasizes collaboration and transformative giving. By leveraging its collective influence, the organization aims to accelerate progress toward gender equity worldwide.

Women's Funding Network

WFN is a global alliance that supports women’s foundations and gender justice funders. It promotes intersectional policies that empower women across race, class, and gender, striving for equality and justice through strategic philanthropy. The organization’s efforts foster a powerful network of donors committed to systemic change and social justice.

Global Fund for Women

The Global Fund for Women provides flexible funding to feminist activists and movements, emphasizing a grassroots approach. The fund supports gender justice initiatives globally and advocates for social change through its platform. The fund’s model prioritizes the voices of local activists, ensuring that funding is directed where it is  needed most.

Mama Cash

Mama Cash funds feminist movements and organizations working for the rights of women, girls, and trans and intersex people. Itsupports activism through grants and fundraising, focusing on building strong, self-led movements. By investing in local activists, it amplifies grassroots efforts and promotes long-lasting societal change.

Equality Fund

The Equality Fund aims to transform funding for gender equality by providing unrestricted resources to feminist movements worldwide. It advocates for sustainable funding models and connect feminist leaders with global philanthropists. The fund’s innovative approach seeks to shift the dynamics of power in philanthropy toward marginalized communities.

Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism

This fund provides quick, flexible support to women and non-binary activists facing unexpected risks. It prioritizes grassroots needs, offering timely assistance to strengthen feminist movements. The fund’s rapid response capability ensures that activists can address crises and seize opportunities as soon as possible.

GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly provides cash transfers directly to people living in poverty, allowing them to decide how best to improve their lives. Its model empowers recipients to invest in the organization’s needs, fostering dignity and choice. By trusting individuals to manage their own resources, it challenges traditional aid paradigms and enhance personal agency.

80,000 Hours

80,000 Hours helps individuals choose impactful careers that address pressing global problems. It offers research and resources to guide people toward high-impact job opportunities, focusing on existential risks. It emphasizes career impact aims to align personal fulfillment with significant contributions to society.

Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage

Girls Not Brides is a global network dedicated to ending child marriage and promoting equal rights for girls. It collaborates to raise awareness, mobilize support, and enhance efforts against child marriage. Through collective action, Girls Not Brides strives to create a world where every girl can realize her potential without the burden of early marriage.

Vital Voices Global Partnership

Vital Voices invests in women leaders tackling global challenges, providing support to scale their impact. It has partnered with numerous influential women, building a strong network of change-makers. Vital Voices’s focus on mentorship and capacity building empowers women to take on leadership roles in their communities.

The Life You Can Save

This organization promotes effective charitable giving to combat extreme poverty. It provides resources to help donors identify high-impact charities, aiming for a world without global poverty. The Life You Can Save’s mission is to inspire individuals to recognize their moral obligation to assist those in need through effective giving.

Inside Philanthropy

Inside Philanthropy is a news platform that analyzes the activities of major philanthropic foundations and wealthy donors. It focuses on transparency and encourages greater generosity in philanthropy. By providing insights into philanthropic trends, Inside Philanthropy empowers donors to make informed and effective giving decisions.

Fistula Foundation

Fistula Foundation treats a problem unique to women—the childbirth injury obstetric fistula. We fund surgery to repair the stigmatizing incontinence that this injury produces and have peer-reviewed research to prove that what we do works at scale and is cost effective.