From Upworthy and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Ensuring girls around the world get to go to school doesn’t just take money — it also requires the universal belief that women deserve equal access to education. Malala Yousafzai almost lost her life working to give a voice to girls who were banned by the Taliban from being educated in her home country of Pakistan. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and she has inspired countless people worldwide to stand up for what they deserve.
The refrain of this song features young girls singing “I am Malala,” which I love because it reminds me of the great Martin Luther King Jr. quote: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

‘I Am Malala’ #24 On Amazon

Pakistan has all but banned Malala Yousafzai book ‘I Am Malala’, currently #24 on Amazon. London’s The Independent writes that The All Pakistan Private Schools Federation, representing more than 152,000 institutions in Pakistan has decided that pupils would experience a “negative” effect by reading the book. The Federation also says the book is not entirely respectful of Islam.

“Pakistan is an ideological country. That ideology is based on Islam … In this book are many comments that are contrary to our ideology.,” said the federation’s president, Mirza Kashif.

Pakistan ranks 132 out of 135 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index for its treatment of females. The US ranks 23.

Malala Wows Jon Stewart

16 year old Malala Yousafzai is interviewed here by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. Stewart asked Malal what she would do if attacked again by a Taliban gunman.

“I would tell him how important education is and that I would even want education for your children as well,” the Pakistani girl said. “That’s what I want to tell you, now do what you want.”

The man who ordered Malala’s assassination Mullah Fazlullah emerged as the new chief of the Taliban in Pakistan after a US drone killed Hikimullah Mehsud last week.

Malala At World Bank

Malala asks world to make education top priorityThe Dawn

Malala appeared with World Bank president Jim Young Kim at the bank’s headquarters in Washington in order to accept a $200 million donation to the Malala Fund. Commenting that she had launched the fund to “work on the gorund” to promote education for all children, the poised, fearless voice for girls said:

“I am proud to be a girl, and I know that girls can change the world.”

“If a terrorist can change someone’s mind and convince them to become a suicide bomber, we can also change their minds and tell them education is the only way to bring humanity and peace.”

Malala reminded the audience that this week she launched a book, “I am Malala”, adding that “this book not only tells my story, but it tells the story of every girl who has been suffering from terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is about girls’ rights.”