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MALALA YOUSAFZAI AND HER

CONTRIBUTION TO THE RIGHTS OF
WOMEN

By Eirini Tougli
Course leader: MR. Athanasiadis
New York college
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Good Afternoon to everyone!

First let me say thank you to President Foutsis, members of the faculty and loved students that given me the

honor to talk about Malala Yousafzai and her global efforts to the rights of women.

Could you imagine a world where a girl is not allowed to have a formal education and girls are even

discouraged to learn, read or write? Could you believe that this world still exists today? Malala Yousafzai is a

young teenager who has struggle much to educate the world about the rights of women to have a formal

education. Malala was born into an educated family but into a culture that does not value the education.

Malala’s father runs a chain of schools and he is also an educational activist but her mother from the other side,

had any education. She supported her beliefs into action early in her life by blogging about the life of girls

under the Taliban regime. And the Taliban responded with violence. Just by being shot at, she continued and

even increased her advocacy, which brings me to my first point. Let me tell you about Malala Yousafzai and

her contribution to the rights of women (2020).

Malala Yousafzai is a passionate Pakistan Activist. She was born in July 12 in 1997 in Mingora Pakistan. She is

well-known for her advocacy on female education in northwest Pakistan, where women are under Pakistan

regime. The story begun when Malala was 11 years old. At that time, in so early age Malala started her

campaign for women’s right, by blogging for the BBC Urdu website. She used a pseudonym GulMakai. It was

very risky decision for a girl to write about Talibans and how unfair was to close female schools, since she

knew the consequences, when her identity would revealed (Malala.org.,2020).

In 2009 it happened. Her real identity revealed and she became a famous young activist that used to influence

people with her speeches around the world. She gained popularity and in 2011 Prime Minister of Pakistan
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honored her with National Youth Peace Prize. Her international movement and her momentum for the advocacy

of women’s rights for education made Talibans feel that Malala was disrespectful for their society.

However, her efforts resulted her almost to lose her life. On 9 th of October 2012, when Malala was returning

from school with the bus, a Taliban stoped the Bus. Came inside and asked “ who is Malala?”. Can you imagine

what happened? The Taliban shot Malala on the head.. Two of her friends were also shot. Eventually, Malala

survived after the attack and she moved to Birmingham England for further treatment and to continue the

school. Malala became a symbol of bravery in Pakistan and few days after her attack was honored with the

highest civilian bravery award. Today Malala study Philosophy, Politics and economics at Margaret Hall

Oxford. (Malala.org.,2020), (2020).

Her attack from the Taliban brought the attention of people and their support from all over the world. Thus,

more people started follow and support her advocacy for female education. At that point of her life Malala had

two choices. Either to stop her advocacy and live a normal life or to continue struggle until to achieve her goal,

that every girl deserves and has right to go to school and to be educated. Malala choose to increase her

advocacy after her surgeries and rehabilitation, by speaking publicly around the world for women’s right for

education. With this way, she believed that her movement will bring the change, otherwise things would’ve

become worst for the girls.

Eventually, due to her success of her powerful petition, for the right to education, in United Nations, in 2013,

Pakistan were forced, with more than 3 million signatures, to pass the first ever Right to education bill. Thanks

to Malala all children in Pakistan will have free education and will have access to a full course schooling

("Thanks to Malala", 2020). The same year Clinton foundation honored her with the Clinton global citizen

award, for her efforts to solve global issues ("Mayor Bloomberg, Malala Yousafzai, Bunker Roy and others to

be honored at Clinton Global Citizen Awards", 2020).

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However, after hard work the same year also Malala and her father established Malala Fund. Their philosophy

includes equality for education, unity, peace, human rights, voice, love, forgiveness, change and non violence.

Malala sacrificed much of her life for social contribution. She advocates to combat against the unfairness of

women in Islamic countries. In democratic countries it is given the fact that women are equal to men. But in

Islamic patriarchal societies, women appears as inferior from men. Malala struggle to educate people globally,

especially in development countries, that Muslim women should have equal position with men in society. That

means equal opportunity for education and acceptance in public space (Malala.org.,2020).

At that point, Malala in her biography book “ I am Malala” tries to educate people about the real perspective of

Quran and Islam. She attempts to highlight the woman perspective in Quran and notes that Quran does not

address women as subordinate beings from men . However, Quran talks about Islamic values that include: love,

peace, humanity, forgiveness and knowledge. And Malala was inspired a lot by those values. However,

there is any part in Quran that supports that women have no right to education.Instead of that, it says that

“everyone should seek for knowledge to see the mysterious of life”. As Malala said “ The terrorists are

misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits” ( Holpuch, 2020),

("'Disempowering' Empowerment of Muslim Women: The Western Discourses of Muslim Womanhood,

Muslim Families, and Islam - Maydan", 2020), ("8 Ways Malala Has Made the World Better for Women",

2020).

Malala’s movement highlights a shocking reality. The majority of girls in developing countries stay out of

schools due to poverty, wars, early marriage or to gender discriminatory laws that these communities promotes.

Today, women still account only the 29 percent in higher education . ("Malala: Symbolizing the right of girls to

education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization", 2020)

Malala stands up to empower women around the world through education. She supports that education is the

weapon for humanity , peace and change. Consequently, Malala’s campaign focus in three main areas: the

value of education, on investing in women and support refugees ("Let’s be human: Malala Yousafzai on
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unlocking the potential of all girls and boys, the unexpected hopefulness of refugees, and our shared humanity",

2020). Malala promotes education because knowledge highlights the real perspective of life and creates the

ability to see the big picture and connect the dots. However, education eliminates stereotypes, enhance

knowledge and develops critical thinking (Ranghani, 2024). That is why Malala believes that knowledge allow

you to reach your full potential and could eliminates wars, child marriage and gender discrimination. She also

claims that education can lift much a girl’s life and take her out of poverty.Therefore, Malala ask from

governments to provide free education for all children and embrace refugees. (Holpuch, 2020)

Working hard with global and local partners Malala’s Fund invest in girl’s education, providing innovative and

challenging solutions for high quality education in unprivileged communities. Malala Fund also invest on

building schools for girls in Pakistan and train girls raise their voices and struggle for their rights

(Malala.org.,2020), (News, 2020). Many of you, will think, why Malala Yousafzai focuses on women? The

answer is ,because women, are suffering the most from the huge inequalities in society, violence and gender

discrimination. The society makes these women believe that they do not have equal rights with men. (Gibbs,

2020), (Holpuch, 2020).

Malala’s intention is to influence women to take action, to be aware for their rights in order to pick their fights

against gender inequality, to be independent from men and build their future with their own choices. Malala

encourages all women to be brave enough and share their stories or any inappropriate behavior they see or face

in their community. As Malala said “ their voices is so important to the change they want to see”(Gibbs, 2020),

(Holpuch, 2020).

However, Malala Fund provide also technology support in Turkey and Lebanon in order refugee girls from

Syria have access in the classrooms. Malala consider that a technology device can make a huge difference in a

girl’s life, because can have access in information and be aware for her rights. Consequently, Malala believes

that technology is very important because girls can sharpen their minds, cultivate their skills, gain knowledge

and be empowered through education, influencing also other girls to do the same thing (Protalinski, 2020).
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Therefore, Malala’s organization promotes the collective action, in order to be understood that girls’ education

a worldwide priority. ("Malala Fund | Working for a world where all girls can learn and lead", 2020).

In 2014, Malala on her 16th birthday made a speech in United Nations, talking about equality to education for

girls. For this reason, she became an icon with her global efforts on girls’s education and received the Nobel

peace prize. ("Kailash Satyarthi, Malala Yousafzai", 2020). However, Malala through her global presence and

Malala’s Fund actions has challenge a lot Muslim women’s life. She has influence many women around the

world to support women’s right for education and to fight for gender equality. Additionally, Malala has

changed the perception of Muslim women and has empowered them to defend their rights. She also makes them

understand that they should be respected and this is not a demand but a human right. Moreover, through her

campaign highlights how the education can improve girls’ life, how can make them to be independent, able to

find jobs, to stand on their feet, to be brave and lead. ("8 Ways Malala Has Made the World Better for Women",

2020)

For those reasons, Malala works hard to transform cultural policies and change the perception about the

presence of women in society. Her goal is to ensure that every girl will receive education. Consequently, Malala

in her speeches talks about peace, love and humanity because she wants to educate people to be motivated by

those needs. Malala also make women understand that they do not need to endure fear and violence but even

though, women will not stop for fighting for equal rights.

Concluding , for all these, there is a need for more research and more effort in terms of investing in women in

grow economies. That is why Malala on her 18 th birthday asked from her followers on Malala Fund website , to

post a picture of themselves, holding their favorites book and share why they choose #BooksNotBullets. She

also asked to tell to world leaders to fund to education, the real weapon of change. ("Login | SUNY Empire

State College", 2020)

Thank you!
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References

'Disempowering' Empowerment of Muslim Women: The Western Discourses of Muslim Womanhood, Muslim

Families, and Islam - Maydan. (2020). Retrieved 23 February 2020, from

https://themaydan.com/2017/07/disempowering-empowerment-muslim-women-media-images-malala-

yousafzai/

8 Ways Malala Has Made the World Better for Women. (2020). Retrieved 24 February 2020, from

https://www.mic.com/articles/101072/8-ways-malala-has-made-the-world-better-for-women

(2020). Retrieved 23 February 2020, from https://bmstu.ru/ps/~sunnymood77/fileman/download/the%201st

%20term/I-am-Malala-PDF-book-by-Malala-GrowPK.com_.pd

Gibbs, A. (2020). How Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai embraced feminism. Retrieved 23

February 2020, from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/31/malala-yousafzai-on-feminism-and-raising-awareness-

about-female-rights.html

Holpuch, A. (2020). Malala Yousafzai calls on governments to provide free education for all. Retrieved 23

February 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/12/malala-yousafzai-calls-free-education

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Kailash Satyarthi, Malala Yousafzai. (2020). Retrieved 23 February 2020, from

https://www.nobelpeaceprize.org/Prize-winners/Prizewinner-documentation/Kailash-Satyarthi-Malala-

Yousafzai

Let’s be human: Malala Yousafzai on unlocking the potential of all girls and boys, the unexpected hopefulness

of refugees, and our shared humanity. (2020). Retrieved 25 February 2020, from

https://www.hks.harvard.edu/research-insights/policy-topics/human-rights/lets-be-human-malala-yousafzai-

our-shared

Login | SUNY Empire State College. (2020). Retrieved 25 February 2020, from https://search-proquest-

com.library.esc.edu/docview/1705863515?accountid=8067&rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo

Malala Fund | Working for a world where all girls can learn and lead. (2020). Retrieved 23 February 2020, from

https://malala.org/

Malala: Symbolizing the right of girls to education | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization. (2020). Retrieved 23 February 2020, from

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/resources/malala-symbolizing-the-right-of-girls-to-education/

Mayor Bloomberg, Malala Yousafzai, Bunker Roy and others to be honored at Clinton Global Citizen Awards.

(2020). Retrieved 25 February 2020, from https://stories.clintonfoundation.org/mayor-bloomberg-malala-

yousafzai-bunker-roy-and-others-to-be-honored-at-clinton-global-citizen-d1ec219ccb0

News, A. (2020). The Malala Fund: Supporting Girls Education Around the Globe. Retrieved 23 February

2020, from https://abcnews.go.com/International/malala-fund-supporting-girls-education-globe/story?

id=18399402
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Protalinski, E. (2020). Malala Yousafzai on the importance of technology, education, and … magic. Retrieved

23 February 2020, from https://venturebeat.com/2018/08/30/malala-yousafzai-on-the-importance-of-

technology-education-and-magic/

Ranghani, R. (2014). Why the world loves Malala Yousafzai. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11153808/Malala-Yousafzai-why-the-world-loves-her.html

Thanks to Malala. (2020). Retrieved 25 February 2020, from https://plan-uk.org/blogs/thanks-to-malala