The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle recently gave an inspiring speech advocating for the education of young girls. This was Markle’s second speech as a member of the royal family. It was given in Fiji, the first stop of her and Prince Harry’s first royal tour, at the University of the South Pacific in Suva.
Markle, a graduate of Northwestern University, stressed how important the education of young girls and women is in ending poverty. In the speech she stated:
“Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to receive education that they want but, more importantly, the education that they have the right to receive. And for women and girls in developing countries, this is vital. Providing them with access to education is the key to economic and social development, because when girls are given the right tools to succeed, they can create incredible futures — not only for themselves but for all of those around them, and while progress has been made in many areas across the Commonwealth, there’s always room to offer more opportunities to the next generation of young adults and specifically to young women.”
Markle expresses that it was only through financial aid and the work study program that she was able to afford a quality education. She also announced two grants that would be awarded to Fiji National University and the University of the South Pacific, which will be funded by Association of Commonwealth University. The ACU promotes equality in universities. This particular grant is intended to help fund women empowerment workshops at the two recipient universities.
“Grants like this will ensure that women are provided with the training and skills to operate effectively in their role, and that those with leadership potential are given the opportunity to be heard and recognised at the most senior level.”
Markle was voted one of the 100 most influential black people in Britain on the annual Powerlist. This was her first speech on the royal tour, and she has already proven that she is here to make an impact. It will be interesting to see what else Meghan Markle accomplishes as Duchess.
Check out Meghan Markle’s speech down below!
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