Malala - She Can't Be Stopped Now

 Malala Yousafzai places vital importance on the meaning of her name - "grief-stricken". Undying in her quest to cross the limitations placed by her name, her gender and her religion she tells a story - a story that was applauded by many.

In the book I Am Malala she first tries to convince us about SWAT Valley, Pakistan. Her home covered by terrorists and rifles to the rest of the world is an everlasting beauty for her- embroidered by mountains and forests inadvertently making it the centre of her life.

The juxtaposition of the rifles in a picturesque valley - a weird contrast I must say !

Malala's father molded her thoughts based on his ideas as he was against the discrimination of women in Pakistan. But in a country filled with prejudiced laws there was not much one man could do. Ironically it was a woman, Malala, who proved that wrong.

Malala also talks about her background - her father who was an educator and her life before the earthquake- an earthquake that rendered them helpless, in search of a leader. This earthquake occurred right after the 9/11 attacks. 

Taliban originated then- an Islamic fundamentalist group striving to make religion a sole strong point in a devastating tragedy. They took hold of the country and stayed there ever since.

Malala and her father Ziauddin spoke out against Taliban and their extremist rules: Women had to remain in purdah, girls could not be educated and so on.  The Pakistani Army said that they had struck a deal with the Taliban- that their home would not be a home of Taliban but peace did not last. Malala and her family after much deliberation left the valley. This started a life in fear of Taliban. Wherever they are, their next decision would always include the Taliban's next move.

She soon returned to SWAT valley gaining international fame. She and her father then started started speaking up about the injustice of Taliban and their radical actions. Then the Americans killed Osama Bin Laden shattering the patriotism of some Pakistanis and increasing for a majority their mistrust of the Western Culture.

Malala is now a celebrity advocating against the Taliban. She was now a threat to the core concept of Taliban- their fundamentalist thoughts and their ethnic discrimination.

One day in December, 2012 when Malala was on a bus home from school a few men entered the bus and shot her and 2 of her friends. Her friends were non-fatally injured and she was shot on the head.

She was first taken to a hospital in Peshawar then to a hospital in Rawalpindi and then to Birmingham. Since then she has lived in UK but has continued to fight for girls education. She is also the youngest to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malala and her family in Birmingham

She then became an international sensation and now is synonymous to girls education. Malala's father said,"In my part of the world most people are known by their sons. I am one of the few lucky fathers known by his daughter."

This story made me see Middle-East women in a different light- pushed down by unthinkable atrocities and Malala giving them a ray of light in an otherwise dark life.