Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan to her father, Ziauddin and her mother, Toor Pekai. The name Malala is based on the Afghan heroine Malalai. In Pakistan giving birth to a girl typically isn't something that is celebrated but Malala’s dad insisted that she would be treated equally and would have the same opportunities as a male would.
Malala grew up in Swat Valley which used to be a very popular tourist destination for it's festivals and Swat river. As a child, Malala enjoyed learning and reading outside. Her father Ziauddin owned an all girls school in which Malala attended. This school supported the family and supplied them with money to purchase general needs. Malala lived a normal life until 2007. At age 10 the Taliban took control of Swat valley banning things like music televisions and a year later females attending school. Disobeyment to their rules included harsh punishments including public executions. Even before the closing of the school, multiple students ceased to show up because of the dangers of the Taliban. One of Ziauddin’s students attended class late because her parents were no longer allowing her to attend school a week before the ban was enforced because it was too dangerous but she disobeyed them and walked to school after the left her
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Malala’s family flees to when the army starts attacks. Ziauddin said they didn't flee because they wanted to they fled to save their lives. The family stayed in other cities in Pakistan that were safer than Swat Valley. Malala and her father are featured in a documentary about how Malala’s school was closed down and how their family was forced to flee Swat when the army tries to regain control of Swat. Malala, her brothers and her mother stayed with their relatives in other parts of Pakistan while her father stays with a group of exiles who organise protests to the government in hopes of returning to their