Recently, we have been hearing more about women billionaires giving away money to charity. Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, signed the Giving Pledge to promise to give away more than half of her wealth during her lifetime or after death. Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene Powell Jobs has also been making headlines for stepping into the spotlight and making her philanthropy public.  But are women really better philanthropists?

Although the number of women billionaires donating huge sums of money to charities are few and far between, the number of women working at any level in the nonprofit sector is impressive. Almost three-quarters of employees in the nonprofit sector are women, and nearly half of the CEOs are women as well. Women also have a track record of being committed and invested in the projects they support, and they typically have a better understanding of some of the world’s most pressing issues–particularly women’s and girls’ rights. Women’s interest in these key issues seems to support the point that they would be more involved and determined to find solutions to problems that are relatable to them personally.

Many studies have shown that by empowering the females in a developing nation, the country is likely to see a vast improvement. When women are determined to help women, that goal may be more attainable. Women may or may not make better philanthropists than men, but with more women billionaires in powerful positions to make important decisions about key global issues, we could see an increase in the focus on women’s rights around the world.

– Katie Brockman
Source:: Fast Company