Malala Yousafzai’s 5 ways to support Girls’ Education in Pakistan

Excitement and nervousness filled the room as we anticipated the arrival of Malala Yousafzai. Libas Now alongwith some of Pakistan’s talented content creators, digital journalists, influencers and Gen Z forces gathered around the table and chatted about how they felt about the opportunity to meet the youngest Nobel Prize winner. As she walked in, we became instantly comfortable with her pleasant and welcoming personality. Following the introduction, the discussion centred around girls’ education in Pakistan, her production company, future projects, the importance of social media in this day and age and how she deals with stereotypes.

Here are the ways straight from the Nobel prize recipient; Malala herself how we can support this cause, which is a basic right for every single person:

• Engage education activists – We need to support local organisations already working on the cause by hiring and training more female teachers. Malala Fund ensures that improving the quality of education will help girls make a career and contribute to the country’s progress. 
• Share personal stories of young girls – Malala is of the opinion that sharing stories of young girls who have achieved milestones is very significant for this cause. The Malala Fund newsletter was created by girls for girls to share their stories with the world. “I always share my own story, and as a proud Pakistani, I feel it is important to give a platform to other girls to share their success stories.”

•  “Men should take a step back, and be there to support when needed” – A male figure plays a significant role in your life, but at the same time, Malala, while giving her own example said that girls can do things for themselves. They should be there to support when needed, especially when it comes to education. In response to a question about the role of male figures in such situations, Malala’s father Ziauddin Yousafzai said, “Every time someone asks me how I supported my daughter, I always say that I didn’t cut her wings. I let her fly.” That is the support we need.

• Look at what the data tells us – We need to invest in the quality of education after analysing the available research and data. Improving the quality can add 30 trillion dollars to the world economy. Gathering statistics and data is an area that needs to be explored in the country. 
• Not limit people based on gender – It is important to include girls in the rooms where decisions are being made for them. Malala said that gender equality is a global issue as human rights for women are being violated in every corner of the world. To resolve these issues, education is a top priority. It will only contribute to creating a more resilient economy and she is hopeful that the leadership acknowledges this and works towards changing the country for the better. 

Malala, while addressing Libas Now, stated that social media plays a pivotal role in changing how the world sees us. Social platforms like TikTok and Instagram are ways through which people globally can relate and connect to our people. There is no doubt that if these platforms are used correctly to address social issues, there is no way the country won’t find itself progressing in the future. 

Lastly, Malala talked about one of the recent projects her production company, Extracurricular is working on, which includes their first feature film about the only matriarchal society. They aim to tell more South Asian stories that people can relate to.