Malala Day

Malala Day is observed on 12th July every year in commemorating her efforts in advocating gender equality in education. The United Nations declared this day as Malala Day soon after her speech at the United Nations headquarters in 2013.

Malala Yousafzai was born in a town called Mingora in Pakistan in 1997. Her father Ziauddin Yousafzai was a teacher and ran girls’ school in the town. He encouraged young Malala and supported her in every step.  

In 2008, the Taliban took over her town, where she was residing and said girls could not go to schools. They imposed restrictions and banned the girls from having a television, listening to music etc. They enforced harsh punishments on those that defied their orders, and this compelled Malala to leave the school which she loved the most.

She began demanding the rights of girls for education publicly. It provoked the Taliban. In October 2012, the Taliban terrorists boarded the bus and attempted to kill Malala. They shot her on the head and fled away. She was hospitalised and later transferred to England for better treatment. People across the world stood in support of her and girls’ right for education.

Malala was recovered after months of surgeries and treatment. She resumed her campaign for girls’ education and delivered a perfervid speech in the United Nations. Following this, the United Nations declared her birthday 12th July as Malala Day.

Did you know?

• Malala is the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. She was bestowed with that prize at the age of 17 in 2014.
• The Government of Pakistan awarded Malala the first National Youth Peace Prize in 2012.
• In 2015, an Asteroid 316201 was named after Malala.
• Malala Yousafzai is the youngest-ever designated United Nations Messenger of Peace.