"I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful.

Axar.az reports citing BBC.

"I think that it is time that that stops today."

That's the message from newly-crowned Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, who is from South Africa.

More than 90 women from across the world took part in the pageant which was held in Atlanta in the US on Sunday.

Zozibini beat Puerto Rico's Madison Anderson and Mexico's Sofia Aragon in the final three to take the tiara.

Zozibini is the first black woman to win the competition since Leila Lopes in 2011.

The Angolan former winner congratulated her in a post on Instagram, writing: "Congrats girl you did us very proud."

Relfecting on her win, Zozibini wrote: "Tonight a door was opened and I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked through it.

"May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in the power of her dreams and may they see their faces reflected in mine.

"I proudly state my name Zozibini Tunzi, Miss Universe 2019!"