The 20-year old advocate of girls’ education attended her first lecture today.Five years after being shot in the head by the Taliban, 20-year-old Nobel Peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai attended her first lecture at Oxford University.
Today Malala, who is studying philosophy, politics and economics at Lady Margaret Hall college at Oxford, tweeted, “Five years ago, I was shot in an attempt to stop me from speaking out for girls’ education. Today, I attend my first lectures at Oxford.”
5 years ago, I was shot in an attempt to stop me from speaking out for girls' education. Today, I attend my first lectures at Oxford. pic.twitter.com/sXGnpU1KWQ
— Malala (@Malala) October 9, 2017
The fact that Malala is studying at one of the most prestigious universities in the world is a testament to her incredible bravery and persistence. The odds were stacked against her from the beginning, as the Taliban’s regime forbade the education of girls. Not only did she succeed in spite of that by actively defying the Taliban’s ban, she survived an attempt on her life for her advocacy.
At age 11, Malala wrote an anonymous blog for the BBC chronicling her life under the Taliban regime. After a New York Times documentary on her life aired the following year, she became well known as an advocate for education rights and as an opponent of the Taliban’s ban on girls education.
On October 9, 2012, 14-year-old Malala was targeted by Taliban extremists who shot her on a school bus in Pakistan in 2012. Despite being shot in the head, she survived to go on become the world’s most well-known advocate for girls’ literacy and education.
With her father, she founded the Malala Fund to further her cause, and in 2014 she became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. After finishing school in July, she was accepted at Oxford. Throughout it all she traveled around the world pursuing her cause.
President @ashrafghani and I talked about the need for more women teachers in Afghanistan. #UNGA17 pic.twitter.com/lzbdd4aGCs
— Malala (@Malala) September 21, 2017
I met 106 Chibok girls freed from Boko Haram. They are receiving good care, but I hope they can be home with their families soon. 10/ pic.twitter.com/nbYzTMB82L
— Malala (@Malala) July 20, 2017
PM Barzani promised me his government would increase education spending to help girls like Najla and Nayir. 7/ pic.twitter.com/28oxDRsaLo
— Malala (@Malala) July 20, 2017
