Ylann Schemm

When I joined the Elsevier Foundation nearly two decades ago, the conversation around global research and health equity was dominated by a small group of institutions, funders, and geographies. Decisions about what counted as ‘excellent’ research, who studied it, and how solutions were designed, were often made by people—mostly men in high-income countries—far removed from the communities most affected.

India’s scientific and cultural histories have often overlooked the intellectual contributions of women. In a century defined by innovation, that imbalance is increasingly out of step. The last 20 years have seen the creation of numerous schemes in India to attract and support women in scientific research. What is needed, however, is fewer, better and more sustainably funded programmes of institutional change, not for 3 years but for 15 or longer.

Ylann Schemm, executive director of the Elsevier Foundation, reflects on the evolution of global philanthropy - and what the shift towards more locally led, collaborative approaches mean for charities today. ___________________________________________________________________ For decades, global philanthropy has been driven by good intentions but shaped by unequal power dynamics.