December 9, 2012
(Excerpts from the book)
Exactly two months ago on October 9, 2012, a 15-year-old Pakistani girl Malala Yousufzai was shot in the head by the Taliban militants in an assassination attempt. Her “crime”: she exposed the Taliban atrocities and advocated for the education of girls in this picturesque but poverty-striven province of Swat Valley in Pakistan. On the fateful day, one cowardly Taliban gunman walked into her school bus when she was on her way to home from school and shot her.
A seriously injured Malala was immediately rushed to Swat Hospital where she received first aid. She was then moved to Peshawar’s Combined Military Hospital for further treatment and rehabilitation but sensing the dangerous health condition she was taken to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Islamabad. From there Malala was finally airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, a superspecialty hospital where she has been recovering gradually.
Thousands of Pakistanis and millions of people across the continents have rallied to express their support for Malala. They unequivocally condemned the brutal and senseless act of Taliban. People of course have never stopped praying for Malala and for what she stands for – the right to women’s education.
Malala has been an activist since the age of 11 years, writing a blog to protest Taliban edicts against the education of girls. The Taliban carried out these edicts by destroying hundreds of schools for girls. Malala spoke truth to the cowards with no regard for her own well-being.
A socio-political analyst Khadim Hussain, in an opinionated article titled, “In Between Two Discourses,” published in Dawn newspaper observes:
“Malala stood for non-violence and the acceptance of diversity. She taught one how to be courageous and forthcoming and still trust the indigenous process of dialogue. She has raised this issue time and again in her diaries.
“By implication, she wished for an intellectually, economically and politically independent Pakistan. She dreamt of a society that was pluralist, that ensured human dignity and that institutionalized intra- and inter-dialogue processes.”
The New York Times op-ed columnist and winner of two Pulitzer Prizes Nicholas D. Kristof writes in his column, “Pakistan is a country that has historically suffered from timid and ineffectual leadership, unwilling to stand up to militants. Instead, true leadership emerged from a courageous 15-year-old girl.”
Besides hundreds and thousands of people who rallied all over the world for Malala and her the cause she stood for – peace and education for all – include important personalities such as UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, US President Barack Obama, former US President Bill Clinton, former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and celebrities like Madonna, Heidi Klum and Selena Gomez who has designed a campaign “Believe In Zero, Stand With Malala,” which aims to achieve a decent education for the needy.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement says, “Malala Yousafzai is a global symbol of every girl’s right to an education.” The Secretary General commemorated November 10 as Malala Day. The day is intended to represent the goal of education for all children.
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, praised the bravery of Malala Yousafzai at a tribute for her organized by UNESCO’s Executive Board, during the final day of its 190th session in October. The Director-General also reiterated UNESCO’s determination to continue the fight to ensure the right of all girls and boys to education. “Whenever and wherever a young girl is forbidden from going to school, it’s an attack against all girls, against the right to learn, the right to live life to the full; and it is unacceptable,” the Director-General said.
“In April, in Afghanistan, more than 100 high school students from the Takhar province were poisoned by fanatics hostile to girls’ education. In Mali, young girls are married by force, recruited by militia, and prevented from going to school and leading a dignified life. Malala is the symbol of all of these young girls. We stand by them all and salute their courage. We support their struggle for the basic right of each individual to an education, in Pakistan and elsewhere.”
Hollywood actress and celebrity Angelina Jolie reacts strongly to this incident. She writes in The Daily Beast:
“The shots fired on Malala struck the heart of the nation, and as the Taliban refuse to back down, so too do the people of Pakistan. This violent and hateful act seems to have accomplished the opposite of its intent, as Pakistanis rally to embrace Malala’s principles and reject the tyranny of fear. A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban said ‘Let this be a lesson.’ Yes, let this be a lesson—that an education is a basic human right, a right that Pakistan’s daughters will not be denied.
“As girls across Pakistan stand up to say “I am Malala,” they do not stand alone. Mothers and teachers around the world are telling their children and students about Malala, and encouraging them to be a part of her movement for girls’ education. Across Pakistan, a national movement has emerged to rebuild the schools and recommit to educate all children, including girls. This terrible event marks the beginning of a necessary revolution in girls’ education.
“Malala is proof that it only takes the voice of one brave person to inspire countless men, women, and children. In classrooms and at kitchen tables around the world, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters are praying for Malala’s swift recovery and committing themselves to carry her torch. As the Nobel Committee meets to determine the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, I imagine brave Malala will be given a serious consideration.”
French President Francois Hollande recently hailed Malala Yousafzai as a global emblem of the thirst for knowledge. Hollande said the 15-year-old was the “symbol of a young girl who fought for access to knowledge and education,” adding, “we all share Malala’s spirit.”
According to a UNESCO report, Pakistan has the second largest number of children out of school – roughly 5.1 million – and two-thirds of these children are girls, who face a severe disadvantage in education. Although there has been progress in reducing gender disparity, girls still face major obstacles gaining access to school. The primary net enrolment ratio for girls is still 14 percentage points behind the ratio for boys, leaving only eight girls to every ten boys in primary school. In the Swat district, only around one in three girls are in school.
Farah Aqil, Senator from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, condemning the attack against Malala Yousufzai stated in a UNESCO seminar: “The conflict has made it arduous for girls to pursue their education.” The Senator suggested increasing the education budget as well as strengthening security and transport for female students in conflict-affected areas.
In a special exclusive article in the Sunday Morning Herald former US First Lady Laura Bush notes: “Malala is the same age as another writer, a diarist, who inspired many around the world. From her hiding place in Amsterdam, Anne Frank wrote: ‘How wonderful it is that nobody need to wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.’ Today, for Malala and the many girls like her, we need not and cannot wait. We must improve their world.”
Malala Yousafzai’s is a life worth reflecting on and her struggle worth replicating in many countries. Truly Malala’s message extends far beyond the borders of her country and her courageous voice speaks for millions of girls who are desperate to receive education.
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