Malala Yousafzai: Education, Activism, and Her Impact on the World

This essay delves into the life and activism of Malala Yousafzai, focusing on her fight for education and gender equality, particularly in the Swat Valley of Pakistan. It examines her role as an influential activist and the challenges she faced from the Taliban, who opposed girls' education. The essay discusses the issues of inequality in education, highlighting the barriers faced by women and girls globally. It explores the cultural impact of Malala's work, her global influence, and her suggestions for addressing educational disparities. Furthermore, the essay analyzes the concept of an "outlaw" in the context of Malala's story, emphasizing her defiance of societal norms and her unwavering commitment to education. Through her actions and words, Malala has inspired social, economic, and political changes, advocating for the right to education for all children and women worldwide. The essay concludes by summarizing Malala's significant contributions as an activist, highlighting her bravery, determination, and lasting impact.

English

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Malala: An influential activist.........................................................................................................3
Inequality in education....................................................................................................................5
Impact on culture.............................................................................................................................5
Concept of outlaw............................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Reference List..................................................................................................................................8

Introduction
I am Malala is a novel that has been written based on the true story of a campaign conducted by a
14 year old girl named Malala Yousafzai. When the Swat Valley of Pakistan taken over by the
Taliban, one girl who completely refused of being silent, decided to speak up and fight for the
right of education. In the year 2012, at the age of 15, Malala Yousafzai was shot on the head
while she was on her way back home from school in the school bus (Walters 2016).
Miraculously, somehow Malala survived the brutal attack. The various events that followed the
attack on Malala which were described by her remarkable words, include the media frenzy, the
recovery of Malala and the politics. A highly complex negotiation series that consisted of various
political figures from countries like England and Pakistan were triggered by the shooting. In the
light of the role played by women in the culture of Malala and the groups fighting against
women, the story of the girl is absolutely remarkable. The famous words, "One child, one
teacher, one pen and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education
first.", what is spoken by the girl in a speech which give at the United Nations in the year 2013
(Winter 2014). These words have become a worldwide symbol of peace and protest for equal
educational rights for every human.
The impact of Malala in the battle for equality of education for children and women is a
significant issue and rising concern of the modern economy because numerous children and girls
still enable of gaining education around the world (Yousafzai and Patricia 2014). In the context
of education, gender inequality today is evidently present in various parts of the world including
regions such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc. The following assessment emphasizes upon Malala
Yousafzai and explains how she has played the role of an influential activist in the economy. The
issues of inequality present within the contemporary system of education have been discussed
followed by the impact of Malala Yousafzai on our culture. The primary question which has
been answered throughout the assessment is related to the significance of Malala Yousafzai as an
outlaw and how she has inspired social, economic and political changes.
Malala: An influential activist
According to Malala Yousafzai, if somebody takes away the pens of a person, it becomes very
evident that education is quite important. Malala is an education activist and school pupil who

belonged to the town of Mingora of the province of Pakistan (Yousafzai and Patricia 2014). The
woman is widely known for her activism for women and rights of education, especially in the
region of the Swat Valley where the Taliban had a massive impact. They often had banned and
prohibited women and girls from attending school or educational places. In her early years, the
fragile girl who appeared to be Malala revealed that she would soon become a vocal education
activist.
According to Malala, it seemed that when numerous schools of the country had been destroyed
and closed down, it was only after that when the Army of the country gets thoughts of protecting
them (Yousafzai and Patricia 2014). The girl describes that if the government had taken
necessary action and incorporated their operations properly, situations would not have arisen.
With a determined and bold attitude, the girl blamed the Taliban how their them take away her
basic rights of education. She said that they did not have any rights of stopping more than 50,000
from girls getting education in the 21st century (Kartika 2014). The girl refused covering her
face while wearing a burqa as according to her it meant surrendering the dreams and becoming
slaves of discrimination and injustice. She appeared on a documentary of the New York Times
with the name "Class dismissed in Swat Valley" after the end of her blog (Doeden 2014). She
was awarded with the first National Youth Peace Prize of Pakistan which made her public profile
rise even further. At the honor proceedings, she gave a speech in which she said that she did not
belonged to any political parties, however hoped of finding one of her own for promoting
education and educational rights for all, especially women. In spite of the attacks, danger and
death threats, the girl kept going to school. The only shield which she possessed was the book
pile that was hidden under her arms. Malala was highly characterised with a thirst for education
which was never quenched, and the same had become even more determined after such
incidents.
With the higher recognition of Malala, the threats and dangers had started to become acute.
Death threats were often published in the newspapers against her, as the Taliban were highly
resolute of killing her. 12 July, is a the day which has been dubbed by the United Nations as
Malala Day, when the woman spoke for calling for global access to education. Yousafzai said
that according to the terrorists, we could stop ambitions and change your goals, nothing changed
in her life except for the fact that these actions of the terrorists caused hopelessness, fear and

weakness of the woman die. It gave birth to courage strength and power within her. She was not
against anybody, neither she was speaking contacts of person revenge against any groups of
terrorists. She only stood up to speak the right of education of every person, child and women.
Malala Yousafzai has clearly been a very influential women and she has given the courage to
more women for speaking up against discriminations and for their right of education.
In the face of global secrecy and corruption, trusting politicians and believing in the power of
bringing real change in the economy is quite difficult. This is especially true in the case of
Pakistan, a country which has suffered high amounts of political corruption during the early
years of Yousafzai. In spite of such difficulties, the girl believed in the political procedure
because she had never witnessed how political activism could potentially make a difference.
According to her, a significant politician has the power of rallying many towards their side, and
with such a strong leader, change could truly be incorporated.
Inequality in education
In the modern world, gender equality is characterized by education and the educational system.
Such characterization of the gender inequalities is demonstrated by the fact that more than two
third of the entire population who does not have access to basic education belongs to girls and
women. Females have been facing several barriers and restrictions in the light of obtaining
education. One of the most common issues is that economic input into the education and
development of females does not help in generating economic and social returns for families as
much as in the case of males. Various social and cultural beliefs prefer males over females in the
society due to which the females are prevented and prohibited from attaining opportunities of
education. The factors that are highly responsible for affecting the females in such ways include
lack of basic facilities, unaffordable costs, generalization of the fact that females are meant to do
the household work, cultural and social practices like forced marriage and various an equal and
business opportunities related to employment for women.
Impact on culture
Malala Yousafzai has inspired people globally for fighting against the educational inequality
specially the one which is gender-based. The woman a voice and role model for young females
music education just like her. Various global responses are being initiated by Malala in reply to

various articles written on her. The role which educators, teachers and professors can play for
enhancing the knowledge regarding inequality in education has been discussed by her. In the
stage of higher education, as a student educators and idea generators, she has suggested various
recommendations (Ryder 2015). The young girls should be educated for making them important
decision makers; the institutions which open doors for women facing educational and gender
discrimination should be supported; secondary and elementary schools should be supported for
educating the females and should be shaped for becoming leaders; and finally, the issues related
to advancements of females in the curriculum in gender inequalities should be widely discussed
(Khoja-Moolji 2017). Malala also suggested the creation of classrooms where students and
faculties belonging from various countries and cultures should be able of developing a cross-
nation and broad opinion related to such issues. Various experiential learning like internships
should be created which would help students for gaining an in-depth understanding regarding
their expertise and the problems faced by females within various cultures and countries.
Yousafzai also suggested the development of institutes and workshops for the emerging female
leaders across the globe which would help in enabling an establishment of networks of
organisations and institutions having the same opinions around the world (Yousafzai and Patricia
2014). Partnerships can be formed with these organizations for various projects and researches
related to the advancement and benefit of women. If strong opinions and perspectives regarding
the empowerment of women are kept openly, the issues and problems would sustain within the
consciousness of the public. The integration of all the suggestions given by Yousafzai would
help policy makers and thinkers for creating and implementing solutions that can finally solve
the issue of educational inequality (Dammen, 2012).
Concept of outlaw
An outlaw is a person, who in the ancient legal systems, was referred as one who is outside the
protection of law. In the contemporary society, a person from whom all kinds of legal protections
are withdrawn, so that any individual or person has the legal ability and empowerment of killing,
assaulting or prosecuting them. Outlawry has been considered to be one of the harshest
punishments which is existed in the historical systems of law. Similarly, in the case of Malala
Yousafzai, the woman has played the role of an outlaw. This is because she was openly opposed
and protested against by the terrorists and was attacked several times physically. Despite such

attacks and assaults, she was not provided with any legal protections by the law. Yousafzai was
determined with her perspectives and will of attaining education drinking empowerment for the
same for all women. She did not fear the death threats which usually received, neither she was
moved by the activities of the terrorists against her.
Conclusion
From the above assessment, it can be concluded that Malala Yousafzai has been a strong,
powerful and influential women that is ever existed. The assessment has clearly emphasized
upon the perspectives, opinions, activities any suggestions of the woman towards education,
empowerment of women and the right of every person of gaining equal education. The
determined and unshaken attitude of the girl at very young age, clearly depict her as an outlaw,
since she did not fear the opposition, perspectives, actions and attacks of the terrorists and other
groups. She did not fear death, and was firmly resolute with her purpose throughout her journey
of bringing educational empowerment. Hence, the question related to Malala's significance as an
outlaw and her inspiration towards bringing change, has been answered.

Reference List
Dammen McAuliffe, J. How Should We Respond to Malala?. Chronicle Of Higher Education,
59(10), A45-A46. (2012). Available at:
http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.hil.unb.ca/ehost/detail?sid=bf29428f-a73d-478b-b2a4-
c6c3baedd293%40sessionmgr4001&vid=1&hid=4206&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl
2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=82947653
Doeden, Matt. Malala Yousafzai: Shot by the Taliban, Still Fighting for Equal Education. Lerner
Publications, 2014.
Kartika, Ruly. STUDY OF PROPAGANDA IN LITERATURE AS REVEALED IN MALALA’S
NOVEL,“I AM MALALA”. Diss. STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY, 2014.
Khoja-Moolji, Shenila S. "The Making of Humans and Their Others in and through
Transnational Human Rights Advocacy: Exploring the Cases of Mukhtar Mai and Malala
Yousafzai." Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 42.2 (2017): 377-402.
Ryder, Phyllis Mentzell. "Beyond critique: Global activism and the case of malala
yousafzai." Literacy in Composition Studies3.1 (2015): 175-187.
Walters, Rosie. "‘Shot Pakistani girl’: The limitations of girls education discourses in UK
newspaper coverage of Malala Yousafzai." The British Journal of Politics and
International Relations 18.3 (2016): 650-670.
Winter, Jeanette. Malala, a brave girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a brave boy from Pakistan: Two
stories of bravery. Simon and Schuster, 2014.
Yousafzai, Malala, and Patricia McCormick. I am Malala: How one girl stood up for education
and changed the world. Hachette UK, 2014.