Malala Yousafzai

Pacifism and the road to peacemaking is a step that many individuals should be taking in order to progress as a society. Peacemakers and activists, such as Malala Yousafzai are those who are truly leaving their mark on their world in their assertion for equality and fairness.

Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, Pakistan on July 12, 1997. At a very young age she had become an advocate for the education of the youth, especially that of female adolescents. However, along with her powerful advocacy came death threats from the Taliban. On October 9, 2012, a Taliban associated gunman had shot her in the head on her way home from school on a bus in Swat Valley, resulting in critical condition. She survived the fatal attack and has made it her mission to speak out on the importance of education, voicing her thoughts and opinions toward reform. She was nominated in both 2013 and 2014 for the Nobel Peace Prize, and in 2014, became the youngest to ever receive one. “With a growing public platform, Malala Yousafzai continued to speak out about her right, and the right of all women, to an education. Her activism resulted in a nomination for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2011. That same year, she was awarded a Pakistan’s National Youth Peace Prize.” (1) The life of Malala Yousafzai has been encompassed by her activist mindset in support of education amongst women and girls, especially those individuals residing in poverty-stricken communities where resources are limited and/or unavailable.

What inspires and motivates Yousafzai is her commitment to fighting “for the right of female to education and has explained through instance that young people and children, too can contribute to improving their own conditions.” (2) She thrived on the success of the youth in her community and around the world, overcoming adversary and bettering their own lives, not only for themselves but for their families as well. Being shot in the head in an attempted assassination kindled a movement for herself and for those who she believes should have the chance to be educated. “The assassination attempt sparked a nationwide and worldwide outpouring of support for Malala Yousafzai as she believes that children must go to school and not be monetarily exploited.” (2) Yousafzai affirms the importance of getting a great education and utilizing said education for the overall improvement and progression of society.

With Yousafzai’s association to peace, she had the courage to stand up against the Taliban to defend the right to education for everyone. She is fighting and standing up for equality. In her many speeches and voiced opinions on the matter of education, she acknowledges that, “It will not be out of place to mention that it was the education that paved the way for creation of Pakistan and it is the education that would be essentially needed for respectable existence as a nation by sustainable socio-economic and political development…Unless the education was elevated to top of the priority list the dream of progress and prosperity will remain a distant dream.” (1) There is a direct correlation between equal opportunity in education and peace amongst one another. She is associated with peace and the idea of peacemaking as she continuously advocates for the transformation of not only Muslim women and girls, but for the general public as well. “Malala again articulated her activism through the language or rights: “This award is not just for me…it is for those voiceless children who want change. I am here to stand up for their rights…I am just a committed and even stubborn person who wants to see every child getting quality education, who wants to see women having equal rights and who wants peace in every corner of the world.”” (4) In becoming a famous political activist, Yousafzai continues her campaign for peace, education, and equal opportunity for every single child, everywhere. As a well-known human rights advocate, she believes solely in the means of peace and pacifism (the belief that any type of association with violence is unjustifiable).

One of the more inspiring points she had made in her years of advocacy was that: “A child should not be kept away from the opportunity of going to school or receiving health care just because that child is from a poor family or is from a poor country. That child has no choice. World leaders need to think of the rest of the world’s children as their own children.” (3) This is an opinion that I heavily agree with as a proper education is an imminent factor in terms of personal growth. Knowledge is power. Regardless of the background of the individual, whether or not they come from a wealthy or poor family, should not affect the education and resources that are offered to them. Also, with the death threats and the attempted assassination from the Taliban, that did not stop her from spreading her ideals and fighting for what she believes in. It’s truly amazing.

Overall, Malala Yousafzai has proven to be one of today’s most influential women who has been embodied as a role model to many young women all around the world in their fight for freedom in education and equality.

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