Following on the heels of Michelle Obama’s moving essay for Lenny Letter on girls’ education, Prince Harry furthered the cause on his recent trip to Nepal. Standing next to the nation’s female president, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Harry addressed the crowd at the Nepal Girl Summit in a pro-feminist speech on women’s rights.
Speaking to the resounding good he’s witnessed in giving children proper education, he noted that females in particular are not afforded equal access: “There are too many obstacles between girls and the opportunities they deserve,” he said. He went on to note, “We need to acknowledge that so many countries and cultures are failing to protect the opportunities of young women and girls in the way they do for boys.”
To incite change, he’s calling on all people—not just women—to use their voices for the cause: “We won’t unlock these opportunities for young women and girls unless we can change the mindset of every family and community. To achieve this, it cannot just be women who speak up for girls.”
Harry’s speech was powerful in message, made all the more impactful that he, as a male, has adopted a sense of responsibility on the issue. Bravo, Harry. Read the full transcript here.
