On Friday October 10, 2014, Malala Yousafzai showed us some real girl power by making history as the youngest person, at 17 years old, to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She is also one of the only 15 women to win the Prize. Pakistani-born schoolgirl and female education activist, Malala was shot in the head two years ago when a Taliban gunman boarded her school bus in an attempt to silence her from sharing personal feminist views. With pure luck, the bullet did not enter her brain and she survived.
At barely 11 years old, Malala started campaigning for girls’ education through anything from TV interviews to writing blogs. “I don’t care if I have to sit on the floor at school. All I want is education. And I am afraid of no one.”
It is no secret that at times, the Taliban prevented girls from attending school. In hearing about this, girls like Malala began wanting the same rights as men. Malala’s attempted assassination, that left in critical condition, sparked international attention and support for her and her family.
Despite the Taliban’s, and any additional, opposing views, Malala refused to keep quiet. She then started her own organization, the Malala Fund. The United Nations even created a day to celebrate her and all her heroic efforts called Malala Day.
Aside from recently receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala has also been awarded Honorary Canadian Citizenship, the National Youth Peace Prize, the Sakharov Prize, and the Simone de Beauvoir Prize. “I raise my voice – not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard…we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”
Congratulations Malala, from all of us women who sometimes don’t have the courage to speak out loud. Get it girl!
(Pictures courtesy of http://static.parade.condenast.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/malala-yousafzai-ftr.jpg and Brigitte Lacombe)