Malala Yousafzai Research Paper

Access to Education for Women in the Middle East

Malala Yousafzai, an advocate for education, said in her United Nations speech, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world” (Yousafzai 1). Malala Yousafzai is a promoter of education, especially for those around the world who do not have access to it. Education has been the aim of worldwide assaults in 31 countries due to various reasons. 152-targeted bombings of schools have occurred in Pakistan, while 35 schools in Afghanistan were burned. Also in Afghanistan, 66 educational staff were murdered, kidnapped, and terrorized (Winthrop 2). The lack of access to education for women in the Middle East is a social injustice because they are denied an education and independence

due to their gender, and Malala Yousafzai works to address this issue by bringing international attention to it through her own experiences.

The lack of access to education for women in the Middle East is a social injustice because they are denied an education due to their gender. This social injustice is seen specifically through terrorist groups, as recorded in an article by Saima Mohsin, a CNN journalist. “The Pakistani Taliban ran a ruthless campaign of bombing girl’s schools and carrying out public executions…then the shooting of Malala brought the world’s attention to the issue” (Mohsin 2). Girls in Pakistan who receive an education have the constant threat of the Taliban and other groups who want to kill them. These extremists believe that education, especially for women, is a sin. Cruel acts, such as shooting, bombings, and executions are used to strike fear into those supporting education. According to the Population Reference Bureau,

“Education is a key part of strategies to improve individuals’ well-being and societies’ economic and social development…Many people-especially girls-are still excluded from education” (Roudi-Fahimi & Moghadam1). Today education plays a key role in everyone’s lives, both young and old. Education gives people independence, a future, social status, and economic well-being. However girls are denied access to education, especially in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Education in the Middle East is a big problem because they hinder women from reaching their full potentials, while also harming their own societies. Uzma, a girl going to school in Pakistan, was asked why education was important to her and she responds confidently, “I want to be independent, I want to be myself, I don’t want to be dependent on somebody else—my parents or anybody. That’s why I want to be educated.” (Mohsin 3)
Malala Yousafzai works to address this issue by bringing international attention to education for women through her own experiences.

In a CNN article, Malala’s experience with the Taliban is explained. “Malala was 15 when gunmen jumped onto her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley on October 9, 2012, and shot her in the head…She recovered and addressed the United Nations in New York on her 16th birthday” (Simpson & Bromfield 2). Malala was one of the thousands of women who had a lack of access to education in the Middle East, due to extremist groups such as the Taliban. Malala recovered from her injuries and became the voice for thousands of young women in the Middle East. Even though the situation was bad, good came out of it also, because now there was an international awareness of the ongoing problems in that area. Malala said “’They thought that bullets would silence us, but they failed, and then out of that silence came thousands of voices’” (Simpson & Bromfield 2). Malala shows how her dreadful experience has made her stronger and braver to voice her rights. She is the example and role model to the young women of the Middle East who want and strive for an education. Malala also founded the Malala Fund to help thousands of girls around the world to receive an education. Malala Yousafzai is a true example and leader in advocating education. She chose to bring good out her experience, in which has come great things, such as the Malala fund to support education, which

shows she is truly passionate about fighting for education.
The young women in the Middle East have not stopped fighting to get an education because of someone else or because of the fear of something. They are courageous, taking a leap of faith and achieving their dreams. The lack of access to education for young women in the Middle East is a social injustice because it deprives them from their rights and well-being, and Malala Yousafzai addresses the issue by advocating education and being the voice of the unheard. Awareness must be brought to this issue in our world today, it cannot simply be ignored. Supporting organizations such as the Malala Fund that amplifies, advocates, and invests in education is one of the first steps to bringing justice. Choosing to do something about this social injustice could change the world.