Malala Day 2023: Why is it observed? All you need to know

International Malala Day is observed every year on July 12 to celebrate the life and legacy of Pakistani education activist and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai. A symbol of the fight for girls' education, Malala was first recognized globally on October 9, 2012, when she was shot in the head and neck by a Taliban gunman.

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History of World Malala Day

The United Nations first celebrated International Malala Day on July 12, 2013 - a year after she was shot by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan for opposing their restrictions on female education in the country. The meeting of the UN was addressed by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who was then serving as UN Special Envoy for Global Education. The day also coincides with Malala's birthday.

According to the UN, the day calls for several world leaders to ensure free and mandatory education for girl children. It emphasizes that education is not a privilege but a fundamental right for everyone.

Significance of World Malala Day

Malala Day holds a great significance that highlights the importance of education and women's rights. The day serves as a reminder that individual determination and standing up for one's beliefs can have a profound impact on the world. On this day, people bring attention to the plight of millions of children who are still denied access to quality education.

About Malala Yousafzai

Born on July 12, 1997, Malala is a Pakistani activist and a Nobel Prize laureate. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 at just the age of 17 for her advocacy of girls’ education.

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In 2009, Malala had begun writing a blog under a pseudonym about the increasing military activity in her hometown and about fears that her school would be attacked, wrote the UN on their website. After her identity was revealed, Malala and her father Ziauddin continued to speak out for the right to education.

In 2013, she and her father co-founded the Malala Fund to bring awareness to the social and economic impact of girls' education and to empower girls to demand change.