Nelson Mandela once said that “it is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor.” Her Majesty Queen Rania told us that by educating a girl we educate a family, and work towards the future. There are hundreds of men and women around the world devoting all of their time and effort to improving the lives of girls, because they see it as the best investment in a sustainable future. I couldn’t agree with them more. Progress in the past few decades has been impressive,
Today marks the first International Day of the Girl. As many of my readers have probably noticed I am always interested in covering gender-related issues. This is a day for all girls, but on this day I would like to highlight the heroism of a girl who almost lost her life working for this cause at the tender age of 14.
Four years ago, the Taliban ordered the indefinite closure of all girls’ schools in the Swat district of Pakistan, and destroyed over a hundred of these in the province. Equality Now, an organization dedicated to ending discrimination against girls and women, attempted to, on behalf of girls in the Swat district, establish and reiterate their right to education. Unfortunately, local support was almost non-existent and difficult to come by especially in the face of threats from violent extremists.
Malala Yousufzai, at ten years old, couldn’t bear having her right to education taken away from her and her classmates. She wouldn’t accept silence, and in 2009, at 11 years old, began writing a blog for BBC Urdu under the pseudonym Gul Makai, covering difficulties she and other girls in the Swat district faced as Taliban forces forced a ban on education of girls. When the Taliban took over the province, she couldn’t go to school for a while, and much of her family was displaced. She continued to write her blog, calling for an intervention to preserve the right of education for all girls in Pakistan. Malala was only able to go back to school when the Pakistani army was able to push Taliban forces out of the district. Malala was revealed as the writer of the blog in 2011, and has been recognized internationally for her bravery and heroism, including being nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize.
Two days ago, a Taliban gunman shot Yousufzai twice while she was on a bus going home from school in the Swat District. The chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, Ihsanullah Ihsan, claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt, viciously commenting that Yousafzai is the “symbol of the infidels and obscenity.” Such extremist views are despicable and disgusting, and any attack on an innocent person, let alone a 14-year-old girl, is simply disgusting, and unjustifiable.
So on this day, the first International Day of the Girl, let us pray that Yousufzai, a hero in every sense of the word, makes a full recovery. Let us remember her story and continue to dedicate ourselves to advancing opportunities girls have around the world, and honor the sacrifices that young girls make to be equal members of their society.
This is one of the best posts I have ever read, I hope you don’t mind if I reblog it?
Wow thank you! Of course
Done, thank you I am honoured.
Reblogged this on Lucid Gypsy and commented:
I very rarely re-blog and you may have already seen this post but if not please read it, it’s so very important.
Beautifully written and prayers of healing and continued growth be restored to this beautiful young girl. Thank you for sharing this wonderful story.
This is such a tragic story. (I’ve been following it in my local paper, the Philadelphia Inquirer – they deserve credit for covering it.) Malala and the girls and women of Pakistan certainly need our prayers and support.
What a brave, and caring young girl. Tha ultimate selfless sacrifice for the betterment of her friends, and their future. I will, keep her in my prayers. Something good will come out of this tragedy. Blessings.
Thank you, because am a proud Pakistani woman & also because I’m a human rights journalist. For us, the masses, Malala is the candle of hope amidst the darkness, the shroud i.e Taliban that threatens our country and my homeland.
Just to share, that the human rights activists, commoners, lawyers, youth, INGOs/local based organizations and the poor, the rich, the illiterate or educated are grieving and “condemn” this cowardly act and stand in solidarity with Malala and what she represents. I do hope that this news is also making to international circles as opposed to news focusing on just extremist Pakistan.
Reblogged this on turtleneckandchains.
I read this story on our news and was so disheartened that something so precious could be at risk. This brave young girl’s light is too bright to be extinguished by evil I hope.
I feel sorry when knowing that there are girls who still struggle to take their very basic right of efucation, and it is so sweet of you to write about her issue in this occassion, Thank you for the good post.
Very true, such a basic right has to be protected. Education is a sacred right. Malala’s story has inspired millions of children like her to stand up for their right. Let’s just hope governments step in and push their movement forward even further..
I have been praying for her recovery.
As have I! I look for status updates on her health every day…
Any person who can cause harm on the helpless and the innocent children is pure evil. The perpetrators are terrorist without conscience and no disregard for life. I hope and pray that Yousufzai will inspire other nations to unite and fight oppression and terrorism. I pray for her recovery as well as for women to have a voice in countries where they can’t.
Reblogged this on each day is a journey.
Great! Thank you