One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.
Malala Yousafzai
Malala was born in Pakistan on 12. July 1997 to a Sunni Muslim family. Her father Ziauddin Yousafzai was a schoolteacher. He was determined that he would give his daughter the same opportunities that boys get in Pakistani society.
In 2008 the Taliban took control over Swat Valley, where Malala and her family lived. The organisation attempted to enforce strict adherence to religious traditions and they banned many things, for example playing music or owning a television. The Taliban also believed that girls should not be allowed to go to school.
Traditions are not sent from heaven, they are not sent from God. It is we who make cultures and we have the right to change it and we should change it.
Malala Yousafzai
Malala began to blog anonymously about the importance of education for girls on BBC's Urdu edition. She also made speeches in which she advocated girls' right to education. This made her a target for reprisals from the Taliban.
When a girl gets independent, she realises she's a person. She's a human being, she has equal rights like men have. She's not only a wife and daughter — she's a woman too.
Malala Yousafzai
In 2012, Malala was on a school bus when an armed, masked man entered and asked for her by name. He proceeded to shoot her in the head. Another girl was also wounded in the attack. A few days later Malala woke up in a hospital in Birmingham, England.
Malala's family relocated to England in order to be free and safe. After surgery and rehabilitation Malala started school in England. She also continued to speak about how important it is that girls get an education. On her 16th birthday she held a speech to the UN's Youth Assembly. Her work to secure education for girls won her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
In 2020 Malala graduated from Oxford University with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics. She continues to be an advocate for education for girls.
If people were silent, nothing would change.
Malala Yousafzai
Below you can watch a video message Malala made for TED while she was still in recovery in the hospital in Birmingham.
Sources
Yousafzai, M., 2013, Our books and our pens are the most powerful weapons, The Guardian. Retrieved from: Link to the Guardian webpage, transcript of speech to the UN youth Assembly by Malala.
Malala.org, 2020, Malala's Story. Retrieved from: Link to the website Malala.org.