On Friday, October 11, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person ever to win a Nobel Peace Prize. If for some unfortunate chance you are hearing this name for the first time, let me tell you about Malala. Malala grew up in Swat Valley, Pakistan. As you are well aware (I hope), females in Pakistan have far less rights than females in the United States. While you may be frustrated with the wage gap between genders in America, Malala is fighting for her right to receive an education. At the tender age of 11, Malala began writing to BBC, describing her life under Taliban rule and promoting her passions in regards to education for girls. Malala, still a child, received death threats from the Taliban. A few years later, a gunman boarded her school bus, asked for her by name and shot her in the head. Luckily, Malala survived his horrible attack and used the media’s attention to further promote the need for girl’s education in Pakistan. Malala later wrote a memoir entitled: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban. Malala continues to speak out in advocation for girls’ rights to receive an education. Since her attack, she has spoken at the UN and created the Malala Fund in order to raise awareness on girls’ education and empower girls to call for change. You can learn more or even donate to the Malala Fund here.
I also encourage you to watch this amazing interview clip in which Malala captivates her interviewer with her gracious and courageous words. It gives me goosebumps every time I view it. The most important message she relays in the interview states: “You must fight others but through peace and through dialog and through education.”
For her inspiring words and the actions she has taken to promote the education of young females, Malala, at 17 years old, was awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee stated on their website, “Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education, and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations. This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.”
Malala shares her award with Kailash Satyarthi, an activist who works against the exploitation of children. His work involves rescuing children from child labor and human trafficking. His group, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) has liberated about 80,000 children from child labor in India.
Hopefully, Malala’s status as Nobel Peace Prize winner will inspire young women around the globe to stand up for their right to an education. Additionally, it is my hope that this will inspire not only young females, but young individuals regardless of gender, to work to affect change. It’s easy to feel small in this great big world, but don’t ever forget that you matter. You can make a difference, whether it be in your community, your country or the world. Words, ideas and actions have and will continue to change the world. You may be young, but you have the ability to make this world a better place.
Congratulations, Malala!