Harry, Meghan team with Malala Yousafzai on girls’ rights

Malala Yousafzai (L) and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (R) teamed up for girls rights amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AFP)

• The couple’s video chat with the world’s youngest Nobel laureate on girls’ education will be released on Sunday
• Research by the Malala Fund suggests 20 million secondary-school aged girls may never return to the classroom after the pandemic

LONDON: Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are joining activist Malala Yousafzai in a video chat about the challenges girls face in accessing education amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The couple’s conversation with the 23-year-old education campaigner will be released on the Malala Fund’s YouTube channel and website on Sunday, to mark the International Day of the Girl.
The video chat covers how the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on young women’s access to education. Research by the Malala Fund has suggested that 20 million secondary-school aged girls may never return to the classroom after the health crisis is over.
Yousafzai, who survived a shot in the head after being targeted for campaigning for girls’ education in Pakistan, went on to become the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2014. She graduated with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University in June.
Meghan, now based in California with Harry to seek financial independence from the British monarchy, has campaigned on education for girls for some time. She has spoken about gender equality at forums including the UN Women Conference in 2015.
In 2011 the United Nations declared Oct. 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to promote girls’ rights and address the challenges girls face around the world.