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

Tale of 2 visions: For and against women

Najia Siddiqi  (Photo via Women in Revolution)

On December 9, the UAE Cabinet made it compulsory for corporations and government agencies to include women on their board of directors.

On December 10, the date chosen to honor the UN General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Najia Siddiqi, Afghanistan's director of Provincial Women's Affairs, was assassinated.

While UAE women are increasingly recognized as active participants in society, their opposite numbers are getting ever more fearful for their lives in such Taliban-dominated countries as Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Sheikh Mo's Twitter page

Sheikh Mo's announcement on Twitter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed al Maktoum, or Sheikh Mo as we fondly refer to the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced to his more than 1.3 million followers on Twitter: “We have also made a decision to make the representation of women, in all the boards of directors of companies and government entities, compulsory…

"Women proved themselves in many workplaces and today we want them to have a strong presence in decision-making positions in our institutions.”

The UAE joins the likes of Italy, Spain, Norway, Belgium and Iceland, which have introduced board gender quotas and regulations to ensure women are represented on boards of directors.

Prayers before Najia Sididqi's funeral (AFP photo via aljazeera.com)

Najia Siddiqi was shot dead by two unidentified men while commuting on Human Rights Day in a motorized rickshaw in Mehtarlam in Pakistan’s eastern Laghman province. Hanifa Safi, her predecessor at the Provincial Women's Affairs, was killed when a magnetic bomb attached to her vehicle exploded in July.

The Facebook group Women in Revolution says, “This attack, especially on Human Rights Day, shows that those who killed Ms. Siddiqi have no respect for human rights or the safety of the Afghan people… She was a brave woman and we salute her for her unwavering dedication to women’s rights. Her efforts are remembered particularly since today marks the end of the 16 Days campaign for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.”

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights.

Women in Revolution also feature Fareeda "Kokikhel" Afridi, a Pashtun feminist and women's rights activist in Pakistan who was also shot dead on her way to work in July.

On July 5, 2012, as Afridi left her home in the Khyber tribal area to go to work in Hayatabad a suburb of Peshawar, two motorcyclists, who later escaped, shot her once in the head and twice in the neck. She died in hospital.

Fareeda Afridi (Photo via Women in Revolution)

Afridi was born and raised in the Khyber tribal area, part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), an impoverished semi-autonomous region in Pakistan's northwest, bordering Afghanistan.

She graduated from university with a master's degree in gender studies. While still a student, she founded with her sister, Noor Zia Afridi, the Society for Appraisal and Women Empowerment in Rural Areas (SAWERA), a women-run NGO promoting women's empowerment in FATA. Afridi was critical of the Pakistani government, the Taliban, and the patriarchal nature of Pakistani society. In June, a month before her killing, Afridi told journalists she was being threatened.

Women in Revolution was initiated to support all people fighting for freedom from oppression. “Our guiding light is the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- the first three articles define these as the right to equality, safety and justice.”

Their motto is “We are not here to be silent.”

Their immediate focus is on Syria, intending to provide aid to the Syrian people: to help them survive the winter months first, and then rebuild their country after Bashar al-Assad’s fall.

This is not to forget two teenagers from a conservative and poor area of Pakistan, who have also felt the long arm of the fundamentalist Taliban.

Taliban gunmen shot Malala Yousafzai, 14, in the head on October 9. She survived the shooting and was airlifted to the UK for treatment and the long road to recovery. Hina Khan, 16, is also being threatened and a target.

Malala is a pupil from the town of Mingora in the Swat Valley. She is known as an education and women’s rights activist in the area, where the Taliban have banned girls from attending school.

Hina is also known as an activist for education and women’s rights.

The Khan family is originally from the same Swat Valley area of Pakistan as Malala. It was under complete Taliban control from 2007 to 2009.

Hina and her family were forced to move to Islamabad in 2006 after publicly criticizing atrocities committed by militants.

It is definitely a tale of two visions – one where a country embraces all its citizens and looks to the future; the other ignoring more than half their populations and making violent leaps into the past.

Related posts:

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

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

16 Days against gender violence -- Nov 25, 2011

A Nobel Peace Prize for Malala and Hina

Pakistani teenagers Hina Khan and Malala Yousafzai

When two teenagers take on the might of the fundamentalist Taliban in a conservative and poor area of Pakistan in the name of education and girls’ and women’s rights, they need all the support they can get.

That’s why I back the global appeal to the The Norwegian Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Malala Yousafzai, Hina Khan and girls’ education.

While 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai is recovering from being shot in the head by a Taliban gunman earlier this month, the Taliban are threatening to target another Pakistani teenager, 16-year-old Hina Khan.

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 recovering in Birmingham (photo via dailymail.co.uk)

On October 9, a Taliban gunman shot Malala while she was returning home on a school bus after taking an exam in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. She is now on the long road to recovery in a Birmingham hospital in the UK.

On her being identified, the Taliban gunman shot her twice, once in the head and once in the neck. Two other girls, Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan, were also wounded.

Malala is a pupil from the town of Mingora in the Swat Valley. She is known as an education and women’s rights activist in the area, where the Taliban have banned girls from attending school.

She drew attention when, in January 2009, she posted her first anonymous entry to the BBC Urdu blog that would later make her famous. She used the pseudonym "Gul Makai" -- meaning "corn flower" in Urdu -- so as not to be targeted by the Taliban. She wrote about her life under the Taliban regime, their attempts to take control of the valley and her views on promoting education for girls. Later that year, the Pakistani military intervened, culminating in the expulsion of the Taliban from the Swat Valley.

Hina in front of the family home painted with a red "X"

Last week, a red “X” was painted on the gate of Hina Khan’s family home in Islamabad. Hina is also known as activist for education and women’s rights.

A Nobel Peace Prize for Malala and Hina will send a clear message that the world is watching and will support those who stand up for gender equality, universal human rights and the right of education for girls.

After removing the graffiti, the red “X” reappeared the next day and the Khan family got a phone call warning that Hina is the Taliban’s next target.

Hina at a press conference with her mother and father  (via daily mail.co.uk)

The Khan family is originally from the same Swat Valley area of Pakistan as Malala. It was under complete Taliban control from 2007 to 2009. Hina and her family were forced to move to Islamabad in 2006 after publicly criticizing atrocities committed by militants.

Her father, Raitullah Khan, said: “A few days ago when I came out of my house I saw a red cross on my gate, which I removed, assuming it might have been drawn by some kids. But the very next day it appeared again, which really terrified me. We [then] received a call that Hina will be next after Malala. We have already been fighting death threats for many years when my wife started speaking for women rights and girls' education.”

Hina first attracted the wrath of the Taliban in 2008, when she held a press conference after militants started bombing schools in a campaign of intolerance against girls’ education.

Her mother, Farhat, is a social worker and was already a target of the fundamentalist Islamic group after organizing a handicraft exhibit for Swati women in 2006 and supporting women rights and girls’ education.

Malala is joined by her family in Birmingham for Eid (via dailymail.co.uk)

Malala, who cannot speak at the moment, was in a medically induced coma on arrival in Britain on October 15, but has since regained consciousness and has stood for the first time since the shooting.

She was struck just above the back of her left eye, with the bullet travelling down the side of her jaw and damaging the skull. It went through her neck and lodged in the tissue above her shoulder blade. University Hospitals Birmingham said Malala “remains in a stable condition.”

The road to peace is walked one step at a time, one educated person at a time. Malala and Hina have taken the first steps, at a very high cost. By supporting them, keeping them safe and honoring them, we can help make the world a better place to live.

Related post:

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