Education is a Woman's Right

On October 9, 2012, a Taliban gunman stopped a school bus transporting girls home from school in Pakistan. He and the other men with him demanded to know which girl was Malala Yousafzai. When she was identified, he shot her. Malala was 15 years old when the Taliban issued a "fatwa" for her because she was advocating for women's education.

Photo: one.org

Born to a father who is an education activist, Malala's involvement in human rights began at a very young age. At the age of 11, she gave a speech in Peshawar where she asked "How dare the Taliban take away my basic right to education?"

In 2004, after the US had toppled the Taliban government in Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents appeared in Pakistan and began to spread throughout the country, promoting ultraconservative political and religious beliefs. In Malala's own words, she described the spread of the Taliban as "developing day by day. It started just by talking about Islam and its teaching. But then later on when we used to have the summons they were saying that the girls should not go to school. They were against the women's rights."

Photo: rebellesociety.com 

Speaking up for women's education meant that Malala was speaking against the Taliban, but her father encouraged her to continue because he did not see education as Eastern or Western but rather something that is for everyone. In addition to her speech, Malala became a blogger for the BBC and wrote about life under the Taliban and their denial of education to women. She used a pen name but her identity was revealed and she was known to the Taliban.

Despite numerous death threats, Malala continued to speak out against the denial of her right to education. She and her family, despite the threats, did not believe the group would harm a child. Instead, Malala feared that her father would be targeted for being pro-education and an anti-Taliban activist. 

Photo: bbc.com


When she was shot, Pakistanis supported her by raising banners with the phrase "I am Malala." Generally, Pakistanis were in support of education and were proud of Malala and her strength. She was shot in the face and was transported to England where she underwent a number of surgeries, and survived. She was not deterred by the attack and has continued to speak out against the Taliban and in favor of education for women.

In 2014, she was nominated for the second time for the Nobel Peace Prize and won, making her the youngest Nobel Laureate.

 Photo: dailymail.co.uk