Young Women’s Rights to Education in Pakistan

Hannah Aforismo Per. 1

2/10/14

ThesisAn ongoing fight between young girls in Pakistan and their right

to get educated has been happening for many years and

continue today.

Social Injustice Towards Girls’ Education For years Taliban militants in Pakistan have targeted young women and their schools trying to stop girls from getting educated. This was because the Pakistani Taliban viewed girls’ education as un-Islamic.

Violent Attacks/ActionsThey attack the girls’ schools, teachers, and

students themselves.They began bombing the schools to get their

point across.Began staging terrorist attacks.Even Muslims were in on these attacks being told

to shun the girls that went to school.

The War ContinuesThe Taliban posted letters in town during the

night calling girls’ schooling a “product of the west.”

“More than 800 schools in the region have been attacked since 2009, according to government education authorities”(Siddiqui).

Most Vicious AttackMalala Yousafzia, an outspoken 15-year-old, was

shot by two Taliban members.This brought the issue to global prominence.

Background of Malala YousfaziaLived in northwestern Pakistan with her parents

and two younger brothers.Her father was the founder of the girls’ schools

and would speak on behalf of the girls of Pakistan.Malala believed that girls’ should be able to get

the educated they wanted, so she began to speak up herself.

Malala Speaks Up“In early 2009, she started writing The Diary of a

Pakistani Schoolgirl, a blog for a BBC website”(Wilmore).

She used a fake name for her blog until her true identity was discovered.

Malala would also go to meetings with her father and speak in front of many people defending women's education.

October 9, 2012 The Shooting

Malala was on her way home from school when she was shot by the Taliban men.

The men fired three shots, one hit Malala in her left eye and the other two hit the girls next to her

Saving Malala“After local doctors stabilized Malala, she was

flown to a hospital in the United Kingdom that specializes in treating traumatic injuries”(Wilmore).

She spent 11 weeks in the hospitalWhen she was released the U.K. government gave

her father a job there and moved their whole family to a safer home while Malala recovered.

Messages of EncouragementGirls in Pakistan are still struggling to keep their

education.Knowing this Malala continues to send messages

of encouragement to them and many others around the world.

She hopes to help them get through their desperate situations, convincing them that they have a better future is head of them.

ConclusionEven after the everything that happened to Malala and many

others, their fight for education is still happening today.

Work citedSiddiqui, Taha, and Declan Walsh. "Siege by Taliban Strains

Pakistani Girls' Schools." New York Times 12 July 2013: A4(L). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 5 Feb. 2014

Wilmore, Kathy. "Meet Malala: a Pakistani Teen Rallies Girls Everywhere to Pursue Their Dreams." Junior Scholastic/Current Events 4 Mar. 2013: 6+. General OneFile. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.

Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.