You may ask, who is Malala Yousafzai? Buckle up and get ready to delve deep into the world of Malala. The life of Malala Yousafzai is one to draw inspiration from. Being the world’s youngest Nobel Prize winner, there is a reason why an entire day is designated to celebrate her achievements and her fight against tyranny. Malala Day was introduced by the United Nations, and this gathering urged world leaders to guarantee universal access to free and compulsory education for children. Let us have a closer look at how Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize, including other Malala Yousafzai awards won by her, and some of Malala Yousafzai quotes.
Who Is Malala Yousafzai?
Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani advocate for women’s education. She is also the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner. The activist happens to be the second Pakistani ever to win a Nobel Prize, she received it at the age of 17, making her the youngest recipient ever. She is frequently referred to by her first name alone, Malala.
Life Of Malala Yousafzai
Malala took birth in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, Mingora. She showed a hunger for education at a very young age. For many years, Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, a fervent supporter of education, oversaw a city-based educational facility, the Khushal Girls High School and College. From the very start, Malala’s family emphasized the importance of women’s education. In 2007, the region of Swat Valley came under Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan imposition. Malala’s family left the region initially, coming back only when the tension eased a bit.
TTP started enforcing severe Islamic law, obliterating or closing girls’ schools and prohibiting women from participating actively in society. They also caused acts of terrorism. When Yousafzai was just eleven years old on September 1, 2008, her father drove her to a local press club in Peshawar to protest the closure of the schools. This is where she made her first statement entitled “How Dare the Taliban Take Away My Basic Right to Education.” This speech caused ripples throughout the nation of Pakistan.
Under the BBC, Malala wrote blogs in Urdu, describing in detail the life civilians had to lead under TTP rule. In the near future, she was to appear in several televised shows. She had coverage from local and international media alike. She became the BBC’s youth blogger in December 2009.
Desmond Tutu, a human rights campaigner, proposed Malala as a candidate for the 2011 International Children’s Peace Prize in October. She was also awarded Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize the same year. She, later on, became the world’s youngest Nobel Prize winner.
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Fight For Women’s Education
As mentioned earlier, Malala’s fight for women’s education started quite early, at the age of 11. Under TTP oppression, Malala voiced the need for women’s education. With her first speech, she could inspire many to rise in favor of the cause. She would advocate for girls’ education in the media with her father.
In 2013, in order to raise awareness of the social and economic benefits of women’s education and to give young girls the power to demand change, Malala and her father launched the Malala Fund.
Malala Yousafzai Shot By Taliban
Yousafzai was shot by a Taliban assailant on October 9, 2012. This happened as she was boarding a bus to return home after an exam. At the time, Yousafzai was merely 15 years old. The man behind this heinous crime was Ehsanullah Ehsan who struck her in the head with a gun. The bullet barely missed her left eye, skull, and brain. However, it grazed her facial nerve, eardrum, and jaw joints in the process.
World’s Youngest Nobel Prize Winner
Most of us knew that Malala Yousafzai is a Nobel Peace Prize Winner. However, did you know that she is the world’s youngest Nobel Prize winner — a record in history? Malala and Indian child rights advocate Kailash Satyarthi were both awarded the Nobel Peace Prize winners in October 2014.
However, she was the youngest recipient of this award at the age of 17. This is considered one of her most extraordinary feats.
Malala Yousafzai Nobel Peace Prize Speech
Malala thanked and honored everyone who sent good wishes for her recovery and raised awareness of her cause throughout her 2014 Nobel Peace Prize speech. Following is a small excerpt of what was said in the Malala Yousafzai Nobel Peace Prize speech:
“This award is not just for me. It is for those forgotten children who want an education. It is for those frightened children who want peace. It is for those voiceless children who want change.”
International Symbol of the Fight for Girls’ Education
After being shot in 2012 for defying Taliban prohibitions on women’s education in her native Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai rose to become an international symbol of the fight for girls’ education. She’s regarded as such due to her tireless efforts in the area of women’s education, which are constant and undulating.
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The Malala Day
What is Malala Day? The United Nations declared July 12 as Malala Day to honor Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who became the international symbol of the fight for girls’ education.
Malala Yousafzai Awards
Following is the list of Malala Yousafzai awards:
- 2011 — National Malala Peace Prize (Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize)
- 2013 — Glamour Award for The Girls’ Hero, Sakharov Prize, Simone de Beauvoir Prize, United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, Ambassador of Conscience Award
- 2014 — Nobel Peace Prize, Asia Game Changer Awards
Malala Yousafzai Quotes
Following are some Malala Yousafzai quotes:
- When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.
- One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.
- We want schools and education for every child’s bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education for everyone.
- We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.
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Conclusion: How Malala Changed The World?
If you ask how Malala has changed the world, you can see it in how she has spurred an active discussion on education for kids worldwide. The Malala Fund was created to ensure that her speech went beyond words and that the battle for equal access to education yielded real consequences. She supports her words with considerable actions.
Malala made people realize that there’s no correct age to speak about what you think is right. The young activist all of us to “take up our books and pens” in order to fight against the evil of terrorism and illiteracy. She will forever be immortalized for her contributions to women’s education.
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