Our International Day of the Girl Shero: Malala Yousafzai

“Even if I am a girl, even if people think I can’t do it, I should not lose hope.”

By: Emily J.

Four years ago, one schoolgirl in Pakistan was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman. Her crime? It was speaking up for the rights of girls to be educated. The world reacted in shock and horror as we watched Malala being carted away into intensive care. Miraculously, she survived and now, her story inspires us all. 

Malala’s continuous activism for young girls’ education resulted in her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. At just 17, she is the youngest person and the first Pakistani to ever obtain the award. Watch her acceptance speech here. In October 2015, a documentary about her life was released called He Named me Malala. The film gives the viewers a look into her life (she struggles with physics too!) and how someone so ordinary can make a difference.  

In the video below, Emma Watson sits down with Malala at the Into Film Festival (where the documentary was released) and they both talk about what it means to be a feminist in today’s society. Malala makes it known that it’s not just a cause that she is fighting for but a movement. 

Want to learn more about Malala? Check out her website and see what you can do to contribute to Malala’s story.