"The vaccine must be distributed to everyone everywhere. We cannot rest or truly recover until there is fair distribution to every corner of the world," Prince Harry said.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are raising awareness for global accessibility to the coronavirus vaccine –– specifically among underserved women.
"We've gathered tonight because the road ahead is getting brighter. But it's going to take every one of us to find our way forward," Markle said during the virtual "Global Citizen's VAX Live: The Concert to Reunite the World" benefit concert, which aired Saturday.
"My husband and I believe it is critical that our recovery prioritizes the health safety and success of everyone –– and particularly women who have been disproportionately affected by this pandemic," she said in the video.
Markle, who is going to have a baby girl sometime this summer, acknowledged the issue of gender equity during the pandemic. She focused on the importance of supporting women of color who have suffered financially since the onset of the coronavirus, referencing nearly five-and-a-half million women who have lost jobs during the pandemic.
Nearly 47 million women around the world are predicted to slip under the poverty line.
"My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter. It's a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world. When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and the support to lead us forward," Markle said.
Prince Harry shared separately why he is working as a chairman for the Global Citizen campaign as the world continues to grapple with the impacts of the pandemic.
"Over the last year, everyone has experienced so much loss and so much struggle that I think the only way to really heal and recover is to do that together," he said. "The vaccine must be distributed to everyone everywhere. We cannot rest or truly recover until there is fair distribution to every corner of the world."
Markle, 39, and Harry, 36, have one 2-year-old son, Archie, whose birthday they celebrated last week.
