Podcast 27 - International Day of the Girl 2020 with Malala, Meghan Markle & Prince Harry

The International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated annually on the 11th of October. Launched in 2012 by the United Nations, the main aim of the day is to promote girls empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights, while also highlighting the challenges that girls face all over the world. 

The theme for the 2020 Day of the Girl was “My Voice, Our Equal Future”. 

Meghan's long term commitment in advocating for the rights of women and girls is reflected not only in her words but through her actions. 

This year Harry and Meghan met up with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Malala is the co-founder of the Malala Fund. The strategic aim of the Malala Fund is to see by 2025, a substantial increase in well-educated girls in the countries where the fund works, improved and better-financed education systems, and communities that offer girls equal opportunities to learn and actively support their ambitions.

Malala’s dedication to girls education comes from her own experiences as a girl growing up in Pakistan. Of starting school then being banned by the Taliban from attending school when she was 11 years-old. Then becoming an advocate for girls education and being shot in 2012. 

In 2014 Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. 

Malala chose to stay in the UK with her family. She resumed her own education and in 2018 began studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford.  She graduated this year. 

The International Day of the Girl conversation with Malala, Meghan and Harry covered topics such as:

• The importance of education in Meghan and Harry's own lives;
• Why Meghan feels that it is important to advocate for girl's education;
• Did Harry see a link between educating girls and climate change?;
• The impact of Covid-19 on their own lives and on girl's education.

Check out my blog at www.kindthoughtsformeghanmarkle.com 

Show written and produced by Jeanette Songolo.

Please keep listening for future podcasts on all things Meghan, Harry, Archie and Lili and in the meantime watch out for other posts on all things Sussex on my blog at https://www.kindthoughtsformeghanmarkle.com/