A U.N.-sponsored global gathering to promote gender equality has generated about $40 billion in pledges towards aiding women and girls on Wednesday. The Bill and Melinda Gates’ namesake foundation made a significant $2.1 billion contribution. The pledges were made Wednesday at the Generation Equality Forum convened by UN Women in Paris. Private donors, government officials and civil society leaders are meeting there to make financial and political commitments. The Ford Foundation said it will spend $420 million on gender equality initiatives. Separately, the George Soros-founded Open Society Foundations and Paypal each pledged more than $100 million.
