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 Meghan, who is visiting southern Africa with Harry and their
four-month-old son Archie, is herself a university graduate and
women's rights advocate, and she spoke of how "deeply important and
meaningful" the issue of education was for her.
"When a woman is empowered it changes absolutely everything in the
community and starting an educational atmosphere is really a key
point of that," the Duchess of Sussex told a roundtable of academics
and students.
"Education, I think higher education specifically, is such a key
element for growth, economic growth but also personal growth and
development," she added.
"GENDER GRANTS"
Meghan took over in January from Queen Elizabeth, Harry's
grandmother, as patron of the Association of Commonwealth
Universities (ACU), a role the queen had held for more than three
decades.
On Tuesday Meghan announced three new "gender grants" from the ACU
for South African universities, the goal of which she said was
gender equality and supporting women working in higher education and
research roles.
The duchess also announced four new Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth
Scholarships that she said would see students from Tanzania, Zambia
and Nigeria study in South Africa next year.
While Meghan and Archie have stayed in South Africa, Harry has also
visited Botswana, Angola and Malawi. On Tuesday he was due to tour
the Mauwa Health Centre in Malawi as well as see a pharmacy and
youth reproductive health outreach programme.
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Both the United States and Britain have supported, via this project,
the introduction of solar-powered storage units to provide
life-saving medicines where they are most needed.
Harry, who is sixth in line to the British throne, has been visiting
southern Africa for two decades for holidays and conservation work,
but this trip marked his first visit to Malawi and Angola in an
official capacity.
On Monday Harry watched Malawian national park rangers and British
soldiers simulate an anti-poaching drill, posted photos of trees on
National Geographic's Instagram account and urged greater global
efforts to protect the environment.
Later on Tuesday, Meghan will visit a school to learn about a
charity that gets British aid funds for its work to tackle sexual
violence in schools.
Harry is due to rejoin his family on Tuesday evening in
Johannesburg, where on Wednesday they will tour a township and meet
Nelson Mandela's widow, Graca Machel.
The couple will also attend a business reception and meet President
Cyril Ramaphosa before flying back to London on Wednesday evening.
(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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