I Am Malala Yousafzai

Inequality in society affects the composition of education, along with the ability for girls and boys to attend and remain in school. Malala Yousafzai, the author of I am Malala, challenges these injustices in society by pushing for equal education rights and has influenced others to fight along with her. According UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children Report, “121 million children worldwide do not attend school -- 9 million more girls than boys. The report says an estimated 65 million girls are being denied basic education” (World: UNICEF Report Finds 65 Million Girls Are Being Denied Access To Basic Education). Girls, like Malala, and boys are being denied basic education because of society’s standards, which is why women and men should

The Malala Fund so far has opened learning programs for girls in Kenya, Pakistan, and Nigeria, as well as opened schools for Syrian refugees (The Malala Fund: Programmes). Globally, people are beginning to speak up and demand access to equal education, as well as establishing schools and organizations which fight education inequality. Education is the most powerful tool in the world. Being denied education should be considered an inhumane crime. “...I called on the world’s leaders to provide free education to every child in the world. ‘Let us pick up our books and our pens,’ I said. ‘They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”” (Yousafzai 310). Malala was also honored with a Nobel Peace Prize due to her contribution to demanding equal rights: “This prize is a clear recognition of the fact that peace depends on quality education, and particularly on the education of girls. This basic right is under attack nowadays, schools are targeted and in many parts of the world students are prevented from going to school. We must fight with all we have to protect schools and make them safe havens of development and tolerance,” the Director-General declared (Nobel Lecture). The Nobel Peace prize honors and recognizes one’s work throughout their life and provides funding to further their mission (Nobel Prize History). Earning the prize at such a young age of 17 was a great accomplishment for Malala, and made her the youngest Nobel laureate. Winning the prize also provided Malala more publicity and air time, which she used to speak out and provide knowledge about the issue of unequal