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Malala Yousafzai to Address Girls’ Education Summit in Islamabad
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is set to attend a global summit on girls’ education in Islamabad. Join her as she advocates for empowering girls through education and holding leaders accountable.
ND
by News Desk
2025-01-10
Malala Yousafzai to Address Girls’ Education Summit in Islamabad

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai will participate in an international summit on girls’ education, set to take place in Islamabad on January 11 and 12. The event, hosted by the Pakistani government, aims to advance awareness of girls' education and women's empowerment within Muslim communities.

Malala, a staunch advocate for girls’ education, rose to global prominence following a brutal attack by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on October 9, 2012. The attack occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat valley as she and her friends, Kainat and Shazia, were returning from school. Critically injured after being shot, Malala was evacuated abroad for treatment and has since become a global icon for education advocacy.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Malala posted on X (formerly Twitter):
"I am excited to join Muslim leaders from around the world for a critical conference on girls’ education. On Sunday, 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."

A spokesperson for the Malala Fund confirmed her attendance, underscoring the significance of the summit in addressing educational disparities in Muslim countries.

The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 has led to a sharp regression in women's rights. Afghanistan is currently the only country where girls and women are banned from secondary and higher education. The United Nations has described the Taliban’s policies as “gender apartheid,” with restrictions preventing women from working in most sectors except health and education.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate the summit, which will host ministers, ambassadors from 44 countries, and representatives from the United Nations and World Bank. According to a government statement, the event aims to reaffirm the shared commitment of the global Muslim community to empower girls through education.

Federal Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui noted that the two-day conference would address challenges to women’s access to education in Muslim-majority regions and seek actionable solutions.

This marks one of the few times Malala has returned to Pakistan since the attack. In 2018, she visited her hometown in Swat for the first time since the incident, and later returned to support flood victims in regions devastated by monsoon rains.

As a tireless advocate for education and women’s rights, Malala’s presence at the summit emphasizes the critical need to create inclusive educational opportunities and hold governments accountable for ensuring access to education for all girls.
Tagged:

EducationForAll

WomenEmpowerment

GirlsEducation

MalalaInPakistan
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