Malala Yousafzai Advocacy

Malala Yousafzai

Education Advocate For The World

Malala Yousafzai is the girl who was shot by the Taliban. That’s the first thing that comes to mind when we hear her name. Malala Yousafzai should be known for so much more. Malala is a survivor, a fighter. She was oppressed by the force of guns and bombs, and despite all of that, she wanted everyone to go to school. Malala Yousafzai changed the world by stressing the importance of an education. Malala had to fight for her own education, and she’s fighting for all other girls’ too. She has left her legacy as the girl who is standing up for those deprived of an education. Malala Yousafzai childhood would be described as fast changing. The span of events leading up from her early childhood

Girls and women had always had a hard time getting equal rights and treatment in their daily lives. Women were supposed to cook and clean and make sons with their husbands. Women were treated like objects. All Pakistani families had family trees that dated back for centuries, but women were never included in them(Yousafzai,18). Women were also told that it wasn’t necessary to receive an education because it wasn’t required to be a wife. Although girls were allowed to attend school, a man referred to as the “Radio Mullah” began preaching against it on his radio show. The Radio Mullah was a Muslim extremist who uses fear tactics to gain many followers(Yousafzai,41). The Radio Mullah wanted to destroy all electronics, books, and magazines because they were considered unholy. Many people agreed with the Radio Mullah, even though he was a high school drop-out without religious credentials. The Radio Mullah was against “Western things” as well, including the American Polio vaccination, which he said was a ploy. The Radio Mullah described unholy things as “haram”, meaning forbidden by the Holy Quran. The Radio Mullah used that world to describe girls going to school and being seen in public often(Yousafzai,43). The Radio Mullah convinced people of awful things, and one of the worst was when he claimed that an earthquake that had destroyed hundred of villages and killed thousands of people was a punishment from god(Yousafzai, 30-31).

Malala was shot on her way home from school in a bus full of fellow students. Malala was passed from hospital to hospital until she ended up in Birmingham, England, where she recovered. Malala´s entire family moved to Birmingham where Malala was able to continue her education in private school. After high school, Malala visited countries to speak out for girls’ education, especially in places where that right was taken away(MalalaFund.org). Malala was accepted into the same college as Benazir Bhutto, but decided to attend oxford, where she takes philosophy and politics. After Malala’s recovery she was able to speak privately with both former president Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth. Malala received the International Children's Prize, and it was later named Malala Prize. She also was the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace prize. Malala created the Malala fund, which operates in countries where education is scarce. The Malala Fund works to help all girls receive the education they