Islamabad, Pakistan – Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai expressed profound emotion upon her arrival in Pakistan for a global summit focused on girls’ education in the Islamic world. The 27-year-old activist, who survived an assassination attempt by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012, shared her feelings of honor and joy at being back in her homeland.
“I’m truly honored, overwhelmed, and happy to be back in Pakistan,” Yousafzai stated to AFP as she stepped into the bustling capital for the two-day conference. This visit marks one of the few times she has returned since the attack that propelled her onto the world stage.
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The two-day summit in Islamabad was opened by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, focusing on the education of girls in Muslim-majority countries.
The summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, aims to address the critical issue of girls’ education across Muslim-majority countries, where millions of girls remain out of school. Representatives from various nations have gathered to discuss and strategize solutions to this persistent challenge.
Yousafzai, who is scheduled to speak on Sunday, took to social media platform X to outline her intentions for the summit. “I will speak about protecting rights for all girls to go to school, and why leaders must hold the Taliban accountable for their crimes against Afghan women & girls,” she posted, highlighting her commitment to advocating for education rights in regions where they are most under threat.
The conference comes at a time when Afghanistan, under Taliban rule since 2021, stands alone as the only country with a complete ban on education for girls and women, which the United Nations has labeled as “gender apartheid.”
In addition, Pakistan itself grapples with a severe educational crisis, with over 26 million children, predominantly due to poverty, not attending school according to government statistics, marking one of the highest numbers globally.
Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui revealed to AFP that an invitation was extended to the Taliban government to attend the summit, though no response has been received. This gesture underscores the complex diplomatic and educational landscape the summit seeks to navigate.
Yousafzai’s advocacy has been instrumental since her near-fatal shooting, leading her to become a global voice for girls’ education. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 at the age of 17, making her the youngest recipient in history, in recognition of her work against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.
