The United Nations has declared Saturday, November 10th to be 'Malala Day.'
Marking 30 days since 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban for the 'crime' of defending the rights of young girls around the world to simply go to school without fear.
Use to hashtag #IamMalala to help encourage awareness.
More below the fold.....
Day of action for Malala and girls' right to school By Gordon Brown UN Special Envoy for Global Education:
Almost one million people worldwide have signed their name to call on both the Pakistan government and the United Nations to achieve Malala Yousafzai's aim - that every girl has the opportunity to go to school.
Two weeks on, the wave of support for the 14-year-old Pakistani girl shot in the head by the Taliban, shows no sign of diminishing.
Now is the time for action on the second Millennium Development Goal for universal primary education.
The events of the last fortnight have shown that the global collective willpower to deliver on this aim is there.
The words "I am Malala" are not only a defiant challenge to the Taliban but a bold assertion that every single girl and boy should have the chance of an education.
A few weeks before her shooting, Malala told friends of her determination to campaign for the 32 million girls around the world who are not at school.
Visit
iammalala.org to learn more:
November 10th is the right day for a global day of action: it’s exactly one month since Malala fought off an assassination attempt against her by the Taliban.
On that day, November 10th, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education will travel to Pakistan.
On that day he will deliver to President Zardari over million calls - in the form of signatures - to make education a reality for all Pakistani children.
On that day we will agree a way forward so that we will no longer accept keeping girls out of school.
November 10th will recognize that Malala was prevented from going to school because Taliban ideologues favor discrimination against girls and believe girls’ education is an obscenity.
November 10th will build on the momentum of the UN Secretary General's Education First initiative to show that for the first time in history, the world will no longer let education be a privilege for a few, but instead a right for all. On November 10th, we need to show our solidarity with Malala as global citizens.
Many are asking what they can do to show support. My response: what can you not do?
There is also a
petition to
"Take a Stand for the Girl Who Stood Up: Nominate Malala for the Nobel Peace Prize":
“Malala doesn’t just represent one young woman, she speaks out for all those who are denied an education purely on the basis of their gender,” campaign leader Shahida Chaudhry said in a statement issued by global petition platform Change.org.
Why should we pay attention to girls?
Please visit thegirleffect.org to learn more about the difference girls' education can make.