On October 18^th, 2021, a woman called out to the Taliban regime that occupied Afghanistan to allow girls to go to school. This woman was Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist from Pakistan. The movement to promote the right to education for young girls, which she started at the age of 11, is her symbol and focus in life. Now, let's dive into Malala Yousafzai’s life and find out her messages to the world.   

                   In 2012, a 15-year-old girl was shot on a school bus while asserting women's rights and accusing the Taliban of atrocities in Pakistan. This girl was Malala Yousafzai. Influenced by her father Ziauddin Yousafzai who is an education activist, she started serializing ‘Diary of a Pakistani Schoolgirl’ on the BBC blog in 2009, at age 11, under the pseudonym ‘Gul Makai’. In her diary, which documented her life in Pakistan under the Taliban, she publicly defended the right to education, sending the message that girls have the right to go to school. The New York Times took note of her and produced a documentary about her campaign. However, in 2012, Malala Yousafzai miraculously survived when the Taliban shot her in the head as a revenge for disobeying the regime. After, Malala Yousafzai delivered a speech at the United Nations Headquarters the following year calling for children's right to education, still expressing her belief. Even after Mala Yousafzai overcame death and became an international activist, the Taliban continued to threaten her. In October 2013, the Taliban revealed that they were still willing to kill her by saying "It will be a pride for the Taliban if she is silenced." Due to risks caused by life threats, Malala Yousafzai could not visit Pakistan for 6 years. Despite the circumstances, Mala Yousafzai expressed her gratitude to her hometown as well as her hopes of returning to Pakistan. Furthermore, she did not stop working for the right to education of young children in other countries. She created the Malala Fund, a women's education support fund, to support the education of girls in developing countries. In 2014, she finally received the Nobel Peace Prize for her long-standing work. On October 18^th of this year, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan, she called out Muslim leaders and Taliban forces, directly saying “Religion does not justify preventing girls from going to school!” As such, Malala Yousafzai still prioritizes the protection of girls over her own safety and does not hesitate to speak up.

                    Malala Yousafzai deeply sympathized with the suffering of the same women and stepped forward to protect them. Although she was attacked by the opposition during her activities and received criticism within her country for her new attempt at educating women, she continued making efforts. Finally, she has gained worldwide recognition and is using that influence again for women. CAH honors Malala Yousafzai's courage along with persistence that did not give up her belief and supports her choices in the future.