Malala Yousafzai Thesis

Who is the internationally known Malala Yousafzai? Malala is described as an inspiration, an educator, a leader, and a life changer. Malala Yousafzai is an international icon of women’s rights. Malala’s parents Tor Pekai Yousafzai and Ziauddin Yousafzai gave birth to Malala in 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan. Mingora, which was once a popular tourist destination, had changed when the Taliban tried to take over this area. Malala, now a 17 year old girl became an advocate towards towards girl’s education at a young age. Throughout Malala’s childhood ages, she had become a target towards the Taliban community and continued to become a stronger communicator to the public. Malala attended a school, Khushal School, which was founded by her father,
Ziauddin Yousafzai. At age 14, Malala received a death threat towards her and her family by the Taliban, however, the parent’s of Malala believed that the group would not harm the child. Malala Yousafzai’s life was changed in a second.
On October of 2012, Malala was riding to school, awaiting a long day of exams.
The bus was riding along the mud filled Haji Baba Road with colorful rickshaws sputtering fumes which emitted into the air. At the end of the school day, Malala and 20 other students and three teachers crammed into a white Toyota truck. On October 9, 2012, a bearded man boarded the bus after he managed to stop the truck. The bearded man talked to the bus driver as another man walked to the back of the bus. The man then asked, “Who is Malala?” None of the women on the bus said anything, however they all looked over at Malala, revealing her identity. The man shot three times at Malala Yousafzai. The first bullet penetrated through Malala’s left eye and went through her left shoulder. The second bullet that was fired hit a woman who was seated next to Malala, and the third shot went through Malala’s left shoulder and through the right arm of another woman seated next to her. The school girls who witnessed the shooting on the bus told Malala that the gunman’s hand was shaking when he shot
Malala.
Fortunately, the shot that hit Malala’s left eye, nearly missed her brain. Malala was brought to Queen Elizabeth Hospital located in Birmingham, England. Malala was induced into a six day coma after the shooting. She had to undergo many surgeries and ended up spending about three months in the hospital. Malala also underwent hour long surgical operations to fit her skull with a titanium plate as well as getting an ear implant to help with rehabilitation in her hearing. Fortunately, Malala did not suffer from any major brain damage. With great work, all of the surgeries for Malala’s survival were a success. There were death threats from the Taliban towards Malala while she was in the hospital, however, Malala knew of these and paid no mind to them. Tremendous amounts of support for Yousafzai’s decisions were shown during her recovery. Thousands of people attended rallies against the Taliban, with many people putting themselves as a target. The rallies continued to grow even more heated and the number of people supporting Malala was tremendous. Even celebrities started speaking about Malala’s bravery, allowing more people to hear and care about her story. In March of 2013, Malala was able to continue with her education in Birmingham. As a 16 year old, speaking at the United Nations meeting may have seemed impossible this time last year for Malala. However, on her sixteenth birthday, Malala spoke at the United Nations. Malala began her speech by thanking the nurses and doctors who helped her family with the recovery process. Malala gave an empowering speech that had sparked inspiration in young teenage girls. Yousafzai spoke with confidence about how women should not be considered inferior when compared to men. Malala also spoke about what pushed her to become such a strong female leader towards women’s education with this quote:

"One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world."
-Malala Yousafzai

In the year 2013, along with speaking at the United Nations, Malala also wrote an autobiography, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.
This book received many positive comments, as well as an overwhelming amount of support. Malala’s autobiography consisted of what had happened during the day that she was shot, as well as the death threats she received earlier. Malala also wrote about her fight towards women’s education and why it had meant so much to her. A portion of the book was written about Malala’s village before and after the Taliban interfered with her homeland. In the book, it states that a Muslim extremist began to create radio shows saying women should not be educated. This man eventually rallied up men who are now part of the Taliban, trying to stop the right for women to be educated. This book proves that one voice, can in fact, change the world for the better. Malala’s book contains teenage information as well, creating a sense that at the end of the day Malala is just a 17 year old girl. It turns out that Malala is fond of the book series, Twilight, and loves to gossip with her
friends. In October of 2014, Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize at age 17. Coincidently, Malala was at school when she had won. Malala was officially the youngest person ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. At the ceremony, the Pakistani Prime Minister spoke about Malala in a very positive way, as well as many others whom proceeded to congratulate her. Malala continues to work towards women’s education, and is working hard to find the girls that were abducted in a school in Nigeria. Malala continues to travel the world working towards women’s rights. Malala Yousafzai can be described as many things, heroic, brave, or even inspiring. Malala has ventured into scary and new territory for a young Pakistan teenager. In the midst of the shooting and the death threats Malala has remained calm and collected for all of the women who have not received the education that they deserve. The Taliban tried to silence Malala, however it only made her voice even louder and stronger than it was before. Who is Malala? Malala is a woman.