We all must have heard about Malala Yousafzai, an activist who at a very young age spoke out publicly about women’s rights and went against the policy of proscription on educating girls enforced by the Taliban. Malala was always fond of knowledge and got the full support of her family. It was not until Malala was ten years old that she and all other women were deprived of their privileges when the Taliban took Swat valley under their control.
Malala’s passion for studies caused her to oppose the Taliban. Her father, a social advocate, and educator encouraged Malala to protest against the destroying and shutting down of schools and she gave her first speech - “How Dare the Taliban Take Away My Basic Right to Education?”. Malala Yousafzai also started blogging for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) under the pen name, “Gul Makai”. She wrote about her life under the threat of the Taliban and how much she yearned to go back to school and learn. In response to the fallout from Pakistan, the Taliban allowed girls to attend school under the condition that they wore burkas. This did not continue for much longer and Malala and her family were forced to move out of their hometown due to unforeseen circumstances. This did not stop Malala from campaigning for girl's education rights. She received a lot of appreciation for her work.
Fifteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Taliban when returning home from school. Luckily she survived the attack after going through several surgeries in England. Most of us would not continue to fight as Malala did. She gave a speech at the United Nations, highlighting how important women’s education is, desiring for leaders to change their policies. Malala also spoke in Nigeria against the tribe Boko Haram who abducted young girls to stop them from going to school.
Malala has continued her advocacy for women and opened “Malala's fund” to support them. This young woman has helped many girls enjoy the privileges of life and has inspired them to stand up for themselves.
Like Malala, we too should try to make a difference. Just by standing up for our own rights is one step towards a better future. After reading about Malala Yousafzai, it truly gave me the inspiration and motivation to do something about the injustice prevalent in our society even if it is a small contribution.
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