Malala Day: Stand up for education

Today, July 14, is Malala Day. It is a day to stand up for education and say to the world: “We are stronger than the enemies of education and stronger than the forces that threaten girls, boys and women from leading happy and productive lives.”

It is a day for all children, everywhere, to raise their voices and be heard.

MalalaYousafzai is an advocate for universal education and girls' rights. The young Pakistani girl was targeted for her activism. In October 2012, the Taliban boarded her school bus and shot her and two other girls. But after recovering, Malala was back at school and continues to campaign for every child’s right to education.

Globally, one in five girls around the world is denied an education by the daily realities of poverty, discrimination and violence. Every day, young girls are missing from education, isolated from their friends, forced into marriage and subjected to violence.

Not only is this unjust, it is a waste of potential with serious global consequences. Supporting girls' education is one of the single best investments to help end poverty.

I believe in the power of education as a force for good in the world and the right for all children to get a good quality education, no matter where they are and what the circumstances.

I believe that the most precious gift you can give a child is the capability to read and write. There is magic in holding a book and reading a story.

I have seen firsthand how losing the ability to read and write is like giving up on life.

Millions of girls are being denied an education when it has the power to transform their lives and the world around them. Making it through both primary and secondary education is critical to girls being able to help break the cycle of poverty.

A girl who makes it through both high quality primary and secondary education is...

• less likely to experience violence or marry and have children whilst she is still a child,
• more likely to be literate, healthy and survive into adulthood, as are her children,
• more likely to reinvest her income back into her family, community and country, and
• more likely to understand her rights and be a force for change.

Last year, on July 12, 2013 Malala turned 16. To celebrate Malala Day, the global community came together to highlight the leading role youth can play in enabling all children to get an education.

Malala marked the day by giving her first public speech since the shooting dedicated to the importance of universal education at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

"The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born... I am not against anyone, neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I'm here to speak up for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all terrorists and extremists," Malala said in her speech.

In support of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative, international youth leaders convened at the UN and in cities around the world in support of reaching the goal of having all children, especially girls, in school and learning by 2015.

Malala also presented the UN chamber with a Youth Resolution of education demands written by Youth for Youth, in a process coordinated by the UN Global Education First Youth Advocacy Group, telling her audience:

"Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights."

The Youth Resolution: The Education We Want, is a call by young people for a response to the education emergency. It says:

* * *

Today, 61 million children and young people are denied the right to education.

If world leaders, governments, civil society and the global community do not take decisive action now, the result is clear: the largest generation of youth in human history will be exposed to unemployment, poor health, civil unrest and increased vulnerability. We firmly believe that education is the most effective solution to poverty.  We cannot afford to not educate the future generations of our planet -- education is a smart investment.

We therefore call on all governments, individuals, and organizations responsible for policy, planning, financing, provision, management, delivery and implementation of education to work to:

1.    Pass a Security Council resolution that recognizes the global education crisis and take concrete steps to address education and security, particularly for girls and in situations of emergency.

2.    Get EVERY child in school

Work urgently to ensure all children have access to quality learning, including the 61 million excluded boys and girls.

Provide at least nine years of quality education to every child, where they are equipped with the resources, environment and professional support they require to learn and thrive.

3.     Address the special situation of girls and other marginalized groups

Guarantee gender equality by recognizing and respecting the rights and potential of all girls as equals of boys, and by taking real steps to enable and support all girls to become active, educated and productive citizens of their country and of the world.

 Place particular emphasis on education for marginalize children [including girls; poorer children; child laborers and slaves; those living in disadvantaged areas, in informal settlements or on the street; pregnant girls and girls with their own children; children with disabilities; indigenous children,  lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered young people and children and young people affected by emergencies and conflict] whose absence from the classroom has not yet been effectively addressed. Steps they take must tackle obstructions to their education and cater for their specific needs to guarantee their learning is worthwhile, fulfilling and contributes to their development.

4.    Ensure that we learn to prepare us for life and work

Support the availability and improvement of non-formal and vocational education and training. Governments must recognize the importance of practical training and how this can complement academic education and sustain existing industries. Governments must ensure that any vocational education that students receive matches the high standards expected of academic education, and that it is conducted safely and is properly documented.

Connect education more directly with the labor market to ensure that all children and young people can seek opportunities after completing their education through, for example, internships, volunteering and mentorships, as well as being able to gain the formal accreditation and qualifications they may require for their future. Effective career guidance and planning should allow children and young people to consider their ambitions and options, and give them direction on how they can pursue and achieve their goals for the future.

Develop and promote citizenship education as a way of educating children and young people on the important realities of life, to reduce extremism, to promote equality and respect, to ensure children are aware of their rights and responsibilities, to help them to realize their position as a citizen of the world and to enhance their emotional and physical well-being.

Recruit and rigorously train teachers who implement the highest standards of teaching, are in attendance and available to all of their students, and who protect the rights of every student.

5.     Increase education funding 

Donor countries should increase aid allocation to education. All governments should individually and justly target funding and resources to close spending gaps, which put children at a disadvantage because of the location of their school, conflict and other factors, and must prevent the leakage, wastage or misdirection of financial resources resulting from inefficiency or corruption.

6.     Guarantee our voice in shaping education

Meaningfully engage young people in shaping our own education by facilitating processes and installing structures which allow youth to contribute their opinions, to influence the direction of their own education and to have a say in the nature of the school and the curriculum. Students must have an avenue through which they can indicate concerns, report inappropriate or unprofessional behavior or seek a resolution to a grievance without prejudice and in confidence.

We firmly believe that education is the most effective solution to poverty. We want a world where children and young people are both in school and are engaging -- where we are both being taught, and are learning.

We are convinced that these steps will enhance access to and the quality of education systems, will ensure that no child is left behind and will make the world a fairer, more just, educated, productive and better place.

Our future cannot wait.

We have to deliver this promise.

Governments of the world have to deliver this promise.

* * *

With so many children out of school due to violence and wars all over the world -- most notably now in Syria and Palestine -- reaching the goal of having all children, especially girls, in school and learning by 2015 is quite a challenge. But it is one well worth trying to achieve.

Related posts and references:

Educate girls for a better world -- October 11, 2013

Malala: Education is the only solution -- July 13, 2013

March 8: Women's rights non-negotiable -- March 8, 2013

Tale of 2 visions: For and against women -- December 19, 2012

A Nobel Peace Prize for Malala and Hina -- October 29, 2012

The Power of We… for education -- October 15, 2012

http://www.ungei.org/

International Women’s Day: What if…

Icons photo by Max Dashu

Happy International Women’s Day ladies.

What if, for just one day, every single woman on the planet did absolutely nothing?

What if, for just one day, we lay down all our “tools,” just sat down, stretched our legs and watched the world run by men?

I think it would sound and look like Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai with no cars. I think the world would stop!

With a world population of 7 billion on October 31, 2011, according to the United Nations  -- or 3 487 869 males and 3 439 427 037 females according to a 2011 estimate by the worldstat info -- I would love to see that happen.

Despite the number of men and women in the world being roughly equal -- men hold a slight lead with 102 men for 100 women (in 2010, as stated by French National Institute for Demographic Studies) -- women’s equality is still unequal.

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated today and throughout March, is under the theme Inspiring Change. Equality For Women Is Progress For All is the United Nations’ theme this year.

“Countries with more gender equality have better economic growth. Companies with more women leaders perform better. Peace agreements that include women are more durable. Parliaments with more women enact more legislation on key social issues such as health, education, anti-discrimination and child support. The evidence is clear: equality for women means progress for all,” says UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Inspiring Change encourages advocacy for women's advancement everywhere in every way. It calls for challenging the status quo for women's equality and vigilance inspiring positive change.

With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women's visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think we have gained true equality. Unfortunately, women are still not paid equally, we still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human rights. A 2013 WHO global study shows that 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence.

I have a firm belief that education can win us the future. Cultural, social and political benefits can be translated into society through education. The first step on the long road to equal opportunities and development has to be through education.

It is sad that parts of the human race have not yet learned men and women can be partners. It is sad and repulsive that many men still need to show their superiority through violence and rape.

Women’s rights as human beings are non-negotiable.

Today, on Women’s Day, as I do most days, I thank the women in my life for being who they are, for guiding me and for shining a light on me.

Working at IF Boutique, a ladies’ store, I meet so many women on a daily basis. Every one of them adds something special to my day.

But most of all, thanks go to Maya for being the rock that has sheltered my billowing sand in the difficult times I am going through.

Although my mom Vicky has been gone for 22 years, thanks are always due to her for being the strong, intelligent and outspoken women that she was. She taught me to have a voice but to be tolerant, understanding and without prejudice. Mom had class, insight, wisdom, courage and humor -- in health and in sickness -- until her last hours. Vicky remains my reference for a great woman.

On this special day, I equally give thanks and celebrate the men in my life who have helped and continue to help and support me. I especially thank fellow blogger ArabSaga, who for the past 40 year has walked every step of the way with me and who is now fighting the demon and hell of cancer.

We are preordained to be a team – women and men. There’s no escape.

Let’s walk life hand in hand and celebrate Human's Day, with no need to qualify the gender…

Related International Women’s Day posts:

March 8: Women's rights non-negotiable -- March 8, 2013

March 8: Education can win the future -- March 6, 2012

The women in my life -- March 8, 2011

Dearest Mom… -- 21 March 2011

Educate girls for a better world

Today, October 11, marks the second International Day of the Girl Child.

The United Nations declared October 11, 2012, the first Day of the Girl to focus attention on girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. This year's observation targets their education.

Some decades ago, aged eight or nine, I was given the choice of either doing well at school or being a housemaid. My mom took me out of school for three days to show me how it would compare. I was back at school after the second.

Although my dreams and ambitions of higher education were quashed by the Lebanon civil war, I have since been a strong supporter of education in general, but especially girls’ education. Having worked since age 12, I am also a firm believer in the woman’s role in the workplace and global economy.

Girls face discrimination and violence every day across the world. The International Day of the Girl Child – designated on December 19, 2011 in UN General Assembly Resolution 66/170 -- focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.

The fulfillment of girls’ right to education is first and foremost an obligation and moral imperative.

There is also overwhelming evidence that girls’ education, especially at the secondary level, is a powerful transformative force for societies and girls themselves. It is the one consistent positive determinant of practically every desired development outcome, from reductions in mortality and fertility, to poverty reduction and equitable growth, to social norm change and democratization.

While there has been significant progress in improving girls’ access to education over the last two decades, many girls -- particularly the most marginalized -- continue to be deprived of this basic right, according to the United Nations.

Girls in many countries are still unable to attend school and complete their education due to safety-related, financial, institutional and cultural barriers. Even when girls are in school, perceived low returns from the poor quality of education, low aspirations, or household chores and other responsibilities keep them from attending school or from achieving adequate learning outcomes. The transformative potential for girls and societies promised through girls’ education is yet to be realized.

Recognizing the need for fresh and creative perspectives to propel girls’ education, the 2013 International Day of the Girl Child will address the importance of new technology as well as innovation in partnerships, policies, resource utilization, community mobilization, and most of all, the engagement of young people themselves.

Examples of possible steps include:

• Improved public and private means of transportation for girls to get to school -- from roads, buses, mopeds, bicycles to boats and canoes;
• Collaboration between school systems and the banking industry to facilitate secure and convenient pay delivery to female teachers and scholarship delivery to girls;
• Provision of science and technology courses targeted at girls in schools, universities and vocational education programs;
• Corporate mentorship programs to help girls acquire critical work and leadership skills and facilitate their transition from school to work;
• Revisions of school curricula to integrate positive messages on gender norms related to violence, child marriage, sexual and reproductive health, and male and female family roles;
• Deploying mobile technology for teaching and learning to reach girls, especially in remote areas.

Raise your hand

To mark International Day of the Girl Child today, a UK charity calls on nations to urgently prioritize quality education for girls as an essential factor in tackling crippling poverty.

Malala Yousafzai and actress Frida Pinto raise their hands

Plan UK, a global children’s charity founded 75 years ago, has a petition running to call on the United Nations to make girls’ education a priority in its new development agenda. The “Raise Your Hand” petition has reached over one million hands raised and is now aiming for four million.

Plan works with the world’s poorest children so they can move themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity.

Globally, it is estimated 65 million girls are out of school, with one in five adolescent girls around denied an education by the daily realities of poverty, discrimination and violence. Disasters and emergencies can make these problems worse.

Supporting girls’ education is one of the single best investments a government can make to help end poverty and give hope to girls, otherwise denied their rights and aspirations, Plan says.

Plan UK is celebrating the worldwide support shown for the petition on the first anniversary of the shooting of Malala Yousafzai who has become a global spokesperson on the subject since she was shot by the Taliban in October 2012 for going to school.

Malala is just one of the many people around the globe to have raised her hand for our Because I Am A Girl campaign. The petition has now reached 1.5 million signatures and will be presented to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign aims to support four million girls to stay in education and fulfill their potential.

Plan’s campaign will be in London’s Trafalgar Square today from 10.30 a.m to unveil a giant “erasable” billboard to remind the world that every girl has a right to go to school.

Plan will also be “pinkifying” monuments around the world for the second year running on International Day of the Girl. Monuments including the Empire State Building will be glowing pink in support of girls’ education.

It believes girls hold the power to help break the cycle of poverty. With education, skills and the right support, girls can make choices over their own future and be a huge part of creating lasting change. An educated girl is...

• less likely to marry and to have children whilst she is still a child.
• more likely to be literate, healthy and survive into adulthood, as are her children.
• more likely to reinvest her income back into her family, community and country.

Child marriage

Last year’s Day focused on child marriage, which is a fundamental human rights violation and impacts all aspects of a girl’s life. Child marriage denies a girl of her childhood, disrupts her education, limits her opportunities, increases her risk to be a victim of violence and abuse and jeopardizes her health.

Globally, around one in three young women aged 20-24 years were first married before they reached age 18. One third of them entered into marriage before they turned 15. Child marriage results in early and unwanted pregnancies, posing life-threatening risks for girls. In developing countries, 90 per cent of births to adolescents aged 15-19 are to married girls, and pregnancy-related complications are the leading cause of death for girls in this age group.

Girls with low levels of schooling are more likely to be married early, and child marriage has been shown to virtually end a girl’s education. Conversely, girls with secondary schooling are up to six times less likely to marry as children, making education one of the best strategies for protecting girls and combating child marriage.

Preventing child marriage will protect girls’ rights and help reduce their risks of violence, early pregnancy, HIV infection, and maternal death and disability, including obstetric fistula. When girls are able to stay in school and avoid being married early, they can build a foundation for a better life for themselves and their families and participate in the progress of their nations.

Related posts:

Shame, as we fail the children of Syria -- August 23, 2013

March 8: Women's rights non-negotiable -- March 8, 2013

Malala: Education is the only solution -- July 13, 2013

The Power of We… for education -- Oct 15, 2012

How many more Child Brides must die? -- June 11, 2012

March 8: Education can win the future -- March 06, 2012

Malala: Education is the only solution

Malala addresses the world at the UN

Sixteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai humbled the world yesterday by her speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Hers was an eyewitness testimony to education by a young survivor.

It was also proof of her courage that -- eight months after being shot and left for dead by the Taliban in Pakistan -- Malala should call “on all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world.”

“Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced by both men and women,” she said.

 “So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons,” Malala appealed, proudly watched by her parents.

Her address should be distributed to all schools. Parents should play it to their children. All heads of state as well as foreign and education ministers should memorize it. It would make good reading for the Taliban… if they have the courage to read.

Education is the only way we might see a fall in the number of child brides, the eventual abolition of Female Genital Mutilation, gender equality in the workplace and at home and hopefully racial and religious tolerance.

That’s why, last October I called on the The Norwegian Nobel Committee to award Malala Yousafzai and girls’ education the Nobel Peace Prize.

After the Nobel Peace Prize going to U.S. President Barack Obama (2009) and the European Union (2012) -- shocking choices in both cases -- what better way to encourage peace than through education generally and girls’ education specifically?

Malala Yousafzai’s speech in full at the United Nations yesterday, courtesy of A World at School:

In the name of God, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful.

Honorable UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon,

Respected President General Assembly Vuk Jeremic

Honorable UN envoy for Global Education Mr Gordon Brown,

Respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters;

Today, it is an honor for me to be speaking again after a long time. Being here with such honorable people is a great moment in my life.

I don't know where to begin my speech. I don't know what people would be expecting me to say. But first of all, thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and a new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them. Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me.

I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and all of the staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have helped me get better and recover my strength. I fully support Mr Ban Ki-moon the Secretary-General in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of the UN Special Envoy Mr Gordon Brown. And I thank them both for the leadership they continue to give. They continue to inspire all of us to action.

Dear brothers and sisters, do remember one thing. Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights. There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for human rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goals of education, peace and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them.

So here I stand...    one girl among many.

I speak – not for myself, but for all girls and boys.

I raise up my voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.

Those who have fought for their rights:

Their right to live in peace.

Their right to be treated with dignity.

Their right to equality of opportunity.

Their right to be educated.

Dear Friends, on the 9th of October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends too. They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came, thousands of voices. The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born.  I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. My dreams are the same.

Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorists group. I am here to speak up for the right of education of every child. I want education for the sons and the daughters of all the extremists especially the Taliban.

Malala's proud parents

I do not even hate the Talib who shot me. Even if there is a gun in my hand and he stands in front of me. I would not shoot him. This is the compassion that I have learnt from Muhammad, the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This is the legacy of change that I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This is the philosophy of non-violence that I have learnt from Gandhi Jee, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa. And this is the forgiveness that I have learnt from my mother and father. This is what my soul is telling me, be peaceful and love everyone.

Dear sisters and brothers, we realize the importance of light when we see darkness. We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realized the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns.

The wise saying, “The pen is mightier than sword” was true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them. And that is why they killed 14 innocent medical students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they killed many female teachers and polio workers in Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa and FATA. That is why they are blasting schools every day. Because they were and they are afraid of change, afraid of the equality that we will bring into our society.

I remember that there was a boy in our school who was asked by a journalist, “Why are the Taliban against education?” He answered very simply. By pointing to his book he said, “A Talib doesn't know what is written inside this book.” They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits. Pakistan is peace-loving democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. And Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. Islam says that it is not only each child's right to get education, rather it is their duty and responsibility.

Malala applauded by Ban Ki-moon and the assembly

Honorable Secretary-General, peace is necessary for education. In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan; terrorism, wars and conflicts stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering in many parts of the world in many ways. In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labor. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by the hurdles of extremism for decades. Young girls have to do domestic child labor and are forced to get married at early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced by both men and women.

Dear fellows, today I am focusing on women's rights and girls' education because they are suffering the most. There was a time when women social activists asked men to stand up for their rights. But, this time, we will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away from speaking for women's rights rather I am focusing on women to be independent to fight for themselves.

Encouragement from Gordon Brown

Dear sisters and brothers, now it's time to speak up.

So today, we call upon the world leaders to change their strategic policies in favor of peace and prosperity.

We call upon the world leaders that all the peace deals must protect women and children's rights. A deal that goes against the dignity of women and their rights is unacceptable.

We call upon all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world.

We call upon all governments to fight against terrorism and violence, to protect children from brutality and harm.

We call upon the developed nations to support the expansion of educational opportunities for girls in the developing world.

We call upon all communities to be tolerant – to reject prejudice based on cast, creed, sect, religion or gender. To ensure freedom and equality for women so that they can flourish. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.

We call upon our sisters around the world to be brave – to embrace the strength within themselves and realize their full potential.

Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and education for every child's bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education for everyone. No one can stop us. We will speak for our rights and we will bring change through our voice. We must believe in the power and the strength of our words. Our words can change the world.

Because we are all together, united for the cause of education. And if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty, injustice and ignorance. We must not forget that millions of children are out of schools. We must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright peaceful future.

So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.

One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.

Education is the only solution. Education First.

Related posts:

A Nobel Peace Prize for Malala and Hina -- October 29, 2012

The Power of We… for education -- October 15, 2012

Tale of 2 visions: For and against women -- December 19, 2012