A Letter From the CEO
By Kate Grant
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 for 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.
A Talk With Peter Singer
This is a topic that I’m very passionate about, and I could talk about for a very long time. In fact, I recently discussed it on a podcast series called Lives Well Lived, which is co-hosted by Peter Singer, the philosophical father of the effective altruism movement, and Kasia de Lazari-Radek. This podcast series, which focuses on what it means to live a good life, has featured guests such as Dr. Jane Goodall, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Judy Collins. I am honored and humbled to be in that company, and I’m grateful to Peter and Kasia for giving me a chance to respond to their excellent questions.
In summary, I will leave you with this: The effective altruism movement cannot continue on its current, gender-blind course. Women and men do not experience life equally, and philanthropists need to consider that imbalance when deciding where to give.
Published September 20, 2024