Book IWD Speaker: Malala Yousafzai

Female Education Activist, Youngest Nobel Prize Laureate in History & Co-Founder of the Malala Fund

Malala Yousafzai is one of the most influential human rights voices of her generation, known globally for her unwavering advocacy for girls’ education. Raised in Pakistan by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, an education activist himself, Malala learned early that education is a right, not a privilege, and that silence in the face of injustice carries a cost.

As a schoolgirl, she spoke out publicly against the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education in the Swat Valley. In 2012, she survived an assassination attempt when she was shot for her activism, an event that brought her story to the world’s attention and strengthened her resolve. Rather than retreat, Malala amplified her voice, turning personal trauma into global action.

In 2014, Malala became the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate in history, recognised for her work championing access to education for women and girls. She later became the youngest-ever Honorary Fellow of Linacre College, Oxford, cementing her role as both an academic and activist. Her work has been further documented in the Oscar-shortlisted film He Named Me Malala, offering an intimate look at her life and values.

Malala is the co-founder of the Malala Fund, which supports education initiatives in countries where girls face the greatest barriers to learning. Through this work, she has helped influence policy, fund grassroots projects, and elevate the voices of young women, including supporting girls displaced by conflict in regions such as Syria and Afghanistan.

As an author, Malala has reached millions through her memoir I Am Malala, followed by We Are Displaced and her second memoir, Finding My Way. Her election as the World’s Children’s Prize Decade Child Rights Hero reflects her lasting impact.

For International Women’s Day events, Malala is hired as a speaker because she embodies courage, equality, and action. Her lived experience, global credibility, and calm authority resonate across generations, inspiring audiences to invest in education, equity, and long-term change.

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