(Photo: Malala.org/idg)
Meghan, Harry and Malala! Now this is the get together we’ve been waiting for.
Except, they didn’t actually get together of course (thanks COVID-19), but they did team up for a virtual chat hosted by the Malala Fund and it was as inspiring as we’d hoped it would be.
The trio used their platforms to discuss the barriers preventing 130 million girls from going to school around the world right now (mind-blowing, hey?) and why it’s so important to fight for their right to learn.
“I was lucky to have a father who believed in me and allowed me to have my own voice and to be able to go to school and continue learning,” Malala begins the conversation, before asking the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about their own experiences of schooling.
“You do take it for granted and it is a privilege,” Harry says.
“I’m hugely grateful for the education I was lucky enough to have. At the time, I certainly, probably wasn’t as grateful,” he adds with a smile.
“But looking back on it now, I’m very, very blessed with having such an amazing opportunity.”
Meghan, who’s been championing the fight for girls’ education for many years, also expressed her gratitude for the schooling she received before describing why it’s so important to make education accessible for all:
“When young girls have access to education, everyone wins and everyone succeeds,” she says.
“By fixing that one thing, you end up fixing multiple problems,” she continues.
“What I had realised very early on was that when women have a seat at the table, conversations in terms of policy change, conversations in terms of legislation, certainly in terms of the dynamics of the community are all shifted.”
The trio also discuss the connection between girls education and tackling the issue of climate change as well as the incredible work Malala Fund is currently doing in more than eight countries including Pakistan, Brazil, Nigeria and India, to remove the barriers to education.
“In some places it is transport issues, in other places, it is lack of infrastructure, in other places it is cultural norms and traditions,” Malala says.
And as for the pandemic, they’re working to keep as many girls learning as possible – In Nigeria for example, they’ve distributed little radios so girls can continue doing daily lessons from home.
“So much is at stake when we don’t give a young woman the opportunity to learn and to get an education,” Meghan says towards the end of the conversation.
Oh and if you’re wondering, yes, baby Archie (who’s technically not a baby anymore!) gets a mention too.
You can watch the full video below and if you’d like to learn more about the Malala Fund and how you can support girls’ education, click HERE.