Uploaded May 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Meghan Markle, a UN Women ambassador, gave a speech on International Women’s Day 2015, March 8, at a UN Women conference in New York in which she discussed gender equality.
In 2015, Meghan reflected on this chapter of her life while giving a speech as a UN Women ambassador at the UN Women conference in New York. “It was at that moment that I realized that the magnitude of my actions. At the age of 11, I had created my small level of impact by standing up for equality,” she said at the time.
The young Markle said:
“I don’t think it’s right for kids to grow up thinking these things that just mom does everything,” 11-year-old Meghan says in a clip that aired on Inside Edition this week following her engagement news. “It’s always, ‘mom does this,’ and ‘mom does that.’” Eventually, her letters paid off: Procter & Gamble later changed the commercial to say that “People all over America” were fighting greasy pots and pans.
“It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such vision — because it isn’t enough to simply talk about equality. One must believe it. And it isn’t enough to simply believe in it. One must work at it. Let us work at it. Together. Starting now.”
She continued, “In doing this, we remind girls that their small voices are in fact not small at all, and that they can affect change. In doing this, we remind women that their involvement matters; that they need to become active in their communities, in their local governments, as well as at the highest parliamentary positions.”
In potentially the most memorable line of her speech, Markle confidently proposed, “Women need a seat at the table. They need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this isn’t available, well then, you know what? Then they need to create their own table.”
Markle is well aware of her ability to make a difference through her platform of fame.
In a May 2016 interview with AOL Build, she explained how she uses her position of power for good:
“If you have this kind of job and you have an opportunity to have a profile where people are listening to what you’re saying, I really truly think you need to be saying something that’s valuable. So, yes, you can talk about, “Where did Rachel get that pencil skirt?” Fine, sure. We can have that conversation, but I’d also like to talk about women’s rights or my work with UN Women or with World Vision or humanitarian trips or just really bolstering self esteem that has nothing to do with the external.”
Meghan Markle, a UN Women ambassador, gave a speech on International Women’s Day 2015, March 8, at a UN Women conference in New York in which she discussed gender equality.
In 2015, Meghan reflected on this chapter of her life while giving a speech as a UN Women ambassador at the UN Women conference in New York. “It was at that moment that I realized that the magnitude of my actions. At the age of 11, I had created my small level of impact by standing up for equality,” she said at the time.
The young Markle said:
“I don’t think it’s right for kids to grow up thinking these things that just mom does everything,” 11-year-old Meghan says in a clip that aired on Inside Edition this week following her engagement news. “It’s always, ‘mom does this,’ and ‘mom does that.’” Eventually, her letters paid off: Procter & Gamble later changed the commercial to say that “People all over America” were fighting greasy pots and pans.
“It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such vision — because it isn’t enough to simply talk about equality. One must believe it. And it isn’t enough to simply believe in it. One must work at it. Let us work at it. Together. Starting now.”
She continued, “In doing this, we remind girls that their small voices are in fact not small at all, and that they can affect change. In doing this, we remind women that their involvement matters; that they need to become active in their communities, in their local governments, as well as at the highest parliamentary positions.”
In potentially the most memorable line of her speech, Markle confidently proposed, “Women need a seat at the table. They need an invitation to be seated there, and in some cases, where this isn’t available, well then, you know what? Then they need to create their own table.”
Markle is well aware of her ability to make a difference through her platform of fame.
In a May 2016 interview with AOL Build, she explained how she uses her position of power for good:
“If you have this kind of job and you have an opportunity to have a profile where people are listening to what you’re saying, I really truly think you need to be saying something that’s valuable. So, yes, you can talk about, “Where did Rachel get that pencil skirt?” Fine, sure. We can have that conversation, but I’d also like to talk about women’s rights or my work with UN Women or with World Vision or humanitarian trips or just really bolstering self esteem that has nothing to do with the external.”
