By 
10-01-25
Emma Wijnen
Team Pakistan Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai will be returning to Pakistan this week to attend the Girls’ Education Summit, an event focused on advancing educational opportunities for girls, particularly in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other parts of the Muslim world. The summit is set to bring together global leaders, policymakers, and activists to discuss how to tackle the challenges preventing millions of girls from accessing education.
Malala’s visit to Pakistan marks a significant moment in her ongoing commitment to advocating for girls’ rights to education. In 2012, Malala was shot in the head by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for advocating girls’ education in her home district Swat Valley. She survived the attack and has since become a leading voice for women’s education and empowerment, using her platform to call for policy changes and international support for girls’ education worldwide. Her story has inspired millions and made her the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
The Girls’ Education Summit, scheduled to take place in Islamabad, aims to address the stark gender disparities in education, which remain particularly visible in many Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan. In Pakistan, millions of girls still face barriers to education due to poverty, social norms, security concerns, and lack of infrastructure. Rural areas are particularly affected, where traditional gender roles often restrict girls’ mobility and access to schools. Additionally, Pakistan’s neighbour Afghanistan will also be the main topic of this summit. It remains the only country in the world where girls and women are banned from attending school and university, with the exception of primary school.
Malala’s visit comes at a time when the global struggle for girls’ education has never been more urgent. With conflict, economic crises, and cultural barriers continuing to affect girls’ access to education, her message remains as vital as ever: no girl should be denied the right to learn, no matter where she is born.
Sources and further readings:
Dawn, ‘Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai to visit Pakistan for girls’ education summit’ (Dawn, 10 January 2025) <https://www.dawn.com/news/1884294/nobel-laureate-malala-yousafzai-to-visit-pakistan-for-girls-education-summit> accessed on 10 January 2025
The News, ‘Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai to attend girls’ education summit in Pakistan’ (The News, 9 January 2025) <https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1270357-nobel-laureate-malala-yousafzai-to-attend-girls-education-summit-in-pakistan> accessed on 10 January 2025
The World Bank, ‘Five major challenges to girls’ education in Pakistan’ (The World Bank, June 2024) <https://datatopics.worldbank.org/dataviz/girls-education-pakistan/> accessed on 10 January 2024
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