⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Sheryl Sandberg, Melinda Gates and Other Influencers Sign an Open Letter Declaring 'Poverty Is Sexist' There are 86 high profile signatures on the letter, written by the ONE campaign, in honor of International Women's Day.

By Carly Okyle

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Brian Snyder | Reuters
Facebook's COO Sandberg delivers the Class Day address at Harvard University in Cambridge

What's something Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, actress Meryl Streep, Unilever CEO Paul Polman, entrepreneur Sean Parker, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, activist Melinda Gates and Glamour Editor-in-Chief Cindi Leive agree on? "Poverty is sexist."

A total of 86 influencers, including the people mentioned above, have signed an open letter from the ONE Campaign -- an international advocacy organization that focuses on fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease, mainly in Africa. The letter, pegged to International Women's Day on Tuesday, calls on lawmakers to support gender equality in order to fight extreme poverty more effectively.

Related: Meet the Fearless Female Franchisors Who are Living Their Dreams

"Girls and women living in extreme poverty -- those often hit hardest by the injustice of gender inequality -- have been left out of the conversation," the letter says, asking for data, funding and policy changes to support its cause.

Many who have signed the letter have a history of advocating for women and girls. Sandberg, known for her book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead that started the Lean In movement, has been an outspoken fighter for women's rights in the workplace. Melinda Gates has invested money in improving the health of women and children through her and husband Bill's foundation. Writer, actress and comedian Amy Poehler created Smart Girls, an organization that encourages young women to be intelligent and imaginative.

Related: 2016's Women to Watch

The first International Women's Day was in 1909 and aimed to bring attention to voting rights and better wages for women.

Carly Okyle

Assistant Editor, Contributed Content

Carly Okyle is an assistant editor for contributed content at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.