I Am Malala Malala Yousafzai

Traditions are not sent from heaven, they are not sent from God. It is we who make cultures and we have the right to change it and we should change it.

—Yousafzai at the Girl Summit in London[123]

Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people. If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact.

—Yousafzai expressing her concerns to Barack Obama that drone attacks are fueling terrorism[124]

I am convinced Socialism is the only answer and I urge all comrades to take this struggle to a victorious conclusion. Only this will free us from the chains of bigotry and exploitation.

—Yousafzai expressing her belief in socialism in a letter to a meeting of Pakistani Marxists in Lahore[125]

Yousafzai addressed the United Nations in July 2013,[126][127] and had an audience with Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace.[128] In September, she spoke at Harvard University,[128] and in October, she met with US President Barack Obama and his family; during that meeting, she confronted him on his use of drone strikes in Pakistan.[124] In December, she addressed the Oxford Union.[129] In July 2014, Yousafzai spoke at the Girl Summit in London.[130] In October 2014, she donated $50,000 to the UNRWA for reconstruction of schools on the Gaza Strip.[131]

Even though she was fighting for women's rights as well as children's rights, Yousafzai did not describe herself as a feminist when asked on Forbes Under 30 Summit in 2014.[132][133] In 2015, Yousafzai told Emma Watson she decided to call herself a feminist after hearing Watson's speech at the UN launching the HeForShe campaign.[134]

On 12 July 2015, her 18th birthday, Yousafzai opened a school in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, near the Syrian border, for Syrian refugees. The school, funded by the not-for-profit Malala Fund, offers education and training to girls aged 14 to 18 years. Yousafzai called on world leaders to invest in "books, not bullets".[135][136]

Yousafzai has repeatedly condemned the Rohingya persecution in Myanmar. In June 2015, the Malala Fund released a statement in which Yousafzai argues that the Rohingya people deserve "citizenship in the country where they were born and have lived for generations" along with "equal rights and opportunities." She urges world leaders, particularly in Myanmar, to "halt the inhuman persecution of Burma's Muslim minority Rohingya people."[137][138] In September 2017, speaking in Oxford, Yousafzai said: "This should be a human rights issue. Governments should react to it. People are being displaced, they're facing violence."[139] Yousafzai also posted a statement on Twitter calling for Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to condemn the treatment of the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Suu Kyi has avoided taking sides in the conflict, or condemning violence against the Rohingya people, leading to widespread criticism.[140]

In 2014, Yousafzai stated that she wished to return to Pakistan following her education in the UK, and inspired by Benazir Bhutto, she would consider running for prime minister: "If I can help my country by joining the government or becoming the prime minister, I would definitely be up for this task."[141] She repeated this aim in 2015[142] and 2016.[143] However, Yousafzai noted in 2018 that her goal had changed, stating that "now that I have met so many presidents and prime ministers around the world, it just seems that things are not simple and there are other ways that I can bring the change that I want to see."[144] In a 2018 interview with David Letterman for Netflix's show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Yousafzai was asked: "Would you ever want to hold a political position?" She replied: "Me? No."[145]

Representation

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arranged for Yousafzai's appearance before the United Nations in July 2013.[104] Brown also requested that McKinsey consultant Shiza Shahid, a friend of the Yousafzai family, chair Yousafzai's charity fund, which had gained the support of Angelina Jolie.[104] Google's vice-president Megan Smith also sits on the fund's board.[146]

In November 2012, the consulting firm Edelman began work for Yousafzai on a pro bono basis, which according to the firm "involves providing a press office function for Malala".[104][146] The office employs five people, and is headed by speechwriter Jamie Lundie.[146] McKinsey also continues to provide assistance to Yousafzai.[146]

Malala Day

On 12 July 2013, Yousafzai's 16th birthday, she spoke at the UN to call for worldwide access to education. The UN dubbed the event "Malala Day".[127] Yousafzai wore one of Benazir Bhutto's shawls to the UN. It was her first public speech since the attack,[147] leading the first ever Youth Takeover of the UN, with an audience of over 500 young education advocates from around the world.[148]

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.[147]

Yousafzai received several standing ovations. Ban Ki-moon, who also spoke at the session, described her as "our hero".[127] Yousafzai also presented the chamber with "The Education We Want",[149] a Youth Resolution of education demands written by Youth for Youth, in a process co-ordinated by the UN Global Education First Youth Advocacy Group,[150] 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.[151]

The Pakistani government did not comment on Yousafzai's UN appearance, amid a backlash against her in Pakistan's press and social media.[152][153]

Words from the speech were used as lyrics for "Speak Out", a song by Kate Whitley commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and broadcast on International Women's Day 2017.[154][155]

Jon Stewart interview

On 8 October 2013 Malala, at the age of 16, visited The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, an American television programme, her first major late night appearance.[156][157] She was there as a guest to promote her book, I Am Malala. On the program they discussed her assassination attempt, human rights, and women's education.[158] She left Jon Stewart speechless when she described her thoughts after learning the Pakistani Taliban wanted her dead, saying:

I started thinking about that, and I used to think that the Talib would come, and he would just kill me. But then I said, "If he comes, what would you do Malala?" then I would reply to myself, "Malala, just take a shoe and hit him." But then I said, "If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you and the Talib. You must not treat others with cruelty and that much harshly, you must fight others but through peace and through dialogue and through education." Then I said I will tell him how important education is and that "I even want education for your children as well." And I will tell him, "That"s what I want to tell you, now do what you want.[159]

Stewart, visibly moved by her words, ended the conversation saying: "I am humbled to speak with you."[160] Stewart would again have her as a guest on the show after the 2015 Charleston Church Shooting, in which he started the show citing no jokes saying, "our guest is an incredible person who suffered unspeakable violence by extremists and her perseverance and determination through that to continue on is an incredible inspiration and to be quite honest with you, I don't think there's anyone else in the world I would rather talk to tonight than Malala so that's what we'll do and sorry about no jokes."[161][162][163]

Nobel Peace Prize

On 10 October 2014, Yousafzai was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Having received the prize at the age of 17, Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel laureate.[20][21][164] Yousafzai shared the prize with Kailash Satyarthi, a children's rights activist from India.[165] She is the second Pakistani to receive a Nobel Prize after 1979 Physics laureate Abdus Salam.[166]

After she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, there was praise, but also some disapproval of the decision.[167][168] A Norwegian jurist, Fredrik Heffermehl, commented on being awarded the Nobel Prize: "This is not for fine people who have done nice things and are glad to receive it. All of that is irrelevant. What Nobel wanted was a prize that promoted global disarmament."[169]

Adán Cortés, a college student from Mexico City and asylum seeker, interrupted Yousafzai's Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony in protest for the 2014 Iguala mass kidnapping in Mexico, but was quickly taken away by security personnel. Yousafzai later sympathised, and acknowledged that problems are faced by young people all over the world, saying "there are problems in Mexico, there are problems even in America, even here in Norway, and it is really important that children raise their voices".[170]

David Letterman interview

In March 2018, Yousafzai was the subject of an interview with David Letterman for his Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. Speaking about the Taliban, she opined that their misogyny comes from a superiority complex, and is reinforced by finding "excuses" in culture or literature, such as by misinterpreting teachings of Islam.[171] On the topic of her attackers, Yousafzai comments: "I forgive them because that's the best revenge I can have." Pointing out that the person who attacked her was a young boy, she says: "He thought he was doing the right thing".[172]

Asked about the presidency of Donald Trump, Yousafzai said: "Some of the things have really disappointed me, like sexual harassment and the ban on Muslims and racism."[173] She also criticised the Trump administration's proposed budget cuts to education, saying that education is the first step to "eradicating extremism and ending poverty". Throughout the episode, clips are shown of Yousafzai acting as a tour guide for prospective students to her college Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.[171]

Afghanistan

In July 2021, amid a major offensive by the Taliban insurgents, Yousafzai urged the international community to press for an immediate ceasefire in Afghanistan and provide humanitarian aid to Afghan civilians.[174] Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul on 15 August 2021, she expressed concern about the fate of women's rights, fearing that women in Afghanistan would lose the social and educational gains that had been made during the previous Afghan government's two decades.[175]

Yousafzai condemned the Taliban's ban on girls' education beyond 6th grade, and said "the Taliban will continue to make excuses to prevent girls from learning beyond primary school."[176] She said the Taliban "want to erase girls and women from all public life in Afghanistan," and asked "leaders around the world to take collective action to hold the Taliban accountable for violating the human rights of millions of women and girls."[177]

Women's clothing, marriage

Yousafzai had said that she did not understand why people had to marry. After her own marriage in 2021 she said that she had not been against marriage, but had concerns about it related to child marriage and forced marriage, and unequal marriages where "women make more compromises than men". In her own marriage she felt that she had found a person who understood her values.[178]

On 7 March 2022, Malala Yousafzai advocated for every woman's right to decide to wear what she likes for herself, from a burqa to a bikini: "Come and talk to us about individual freedom and autonomy, about preventing harm and violence, about education and emancipation. Do not come with your wardrobe notes."[179]