Malala Yousafzai: A Girl Who Stood Up Against Oppression

The world around us is as informed and positive as we are. The actions and decisions we take create the environment around us. A motive similar to this was carried by a girl in a developing country, where her surroundings suppressed her and her right to empower herself with education. Still, she did something different to cut through the chain of oppression that made her stand out and set an example to voice against oppression for everyone in the world. That girl's name is Malala Yousafzai, a young activist, a single voice that gained the attention of the whole globe. As Malala herself said 

"When the world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful."

Malala Yousafzai is a name that has become synonymous with strength, courage, and resilience in the face of adversity. The young Pakistani activist has been an outspoken voice for the rights of girls and women worldwide, and her story continues to inspire people of all ages. 

Malala Yousafzai is a passionate female education advocate who has spoken out openly against the Taliban's ban on girls' education and gender injustice. She was living in Pakistan's Swat Valley, formerly regarded as the Switzerland of the East, a serene location popular for tourism, which had become a hotbed of terrorism in the hands of the Taliban at that time. Women were kept in their homes, forbidden from traveling to marketplaces, girls' education was prohibited, and over 400 schools were demolished. Thus, Malala Yousafzai spoke out against such injustice; she spoke out for women's empowerment. 

Malala began writing a blog under a pen name in 2009 about the increased military intervention in her hometown and her concerns that her school would be targeted. The next summer, as the Pakistan Armed Forces started Operation Rah-e-Rast against the extremists in Swat, journalist Adam B. Ellick created a New York Times documentary on her life. She was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize after gaining popularity through interviews in print and television. Malala and her father, Ziauddin, kept fighting for the right to education when her name was known. 

The Taliban's attack on Malala on her way home from school with her friends on October 9, 2012 drew widespread criticism. Around two million people supported a right-to-education petition in Pakistan, and the National Assembly passed the country's first Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill. 

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafwai and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands after holding a joint press conference at the premier's office in Tokyo on March 22, 2019. Artist: Salma Bashir Motiwala

The world's media carefully followed the narrative of her recovery, from delicate surgery in a Pakistani military hospital to more procedures and treatment in the UK, and then when she took her cause worldwide. Malala Yousafzai became an international icon of the battle for girls' education. Malala was awarded a Nobel prize for her efforts in December 2014, among many other national and international honors she received afterward. Malala was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace by Secretary-General António Guterres in 2017 to raise awareness about the significance of girls' education. 

Malala Yousafzai lifted her voice for women's empowerment when everyone else had given up. Malala's work motivated girls worldwide to pursue their dreams, and her narrative spurred others to speak up against prejudice. She assists girls worldwide to seek free, safe, and high-quality education through her nonprofit, Malala Fund. This is a significant step toward empowering women. Her passion for education and commitment to women's empowerment is well acknowledged. 

She is praised as she raised her voice for women's empowerment when no one else was talking about it and inspired girls around the globe with her confidence to raise against discrimination. Quality education is a foundation for the betterment and empowerment of lives, and major steps must be taken to ensure equal education for all. 

Malala Fund assists girls worldwide in obtaining a free, safe, high-quality education. This is a significant step toward empowering women. Her passion for education and commitment to women's empowerment is well acknowledged. 

Regardless of who criticizes her, Malala is unstoppable in activism and bravery in the face of terrorism and bloodshed. She will continue to utilize her voice and knowledge to campaign for women and girls worldwide – a selfless mentality that all women with powerful voices should embrace. 

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