Malala's 16th Birthday - Inspiration Girl

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debbie
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Malala's 16th Birthday - Inspiration Girl

Post by debbie »

https://secure.aworldatschool.org/page/ ... daySigners

Malala nearly did not reach her 16th birthday.

Please do whatever you can to promote education for all - and to improve education wherever and however you can.

Improvements can amount to sheer hard work, improving knowledge and understanding about educational practices - but also it often takes some form of courage - for change, for improvement, for challenging wrong practices, for challenging people you work for, alongside, for challenging people with authority over you, for challenging inequality and for challenging powerful and rich people and politicians that don't do what they could or should.

Challenge takes many forms.

We all need to brave in some form or another.

But none could require more bravery than demonstrated by Malala and her family.
Last edited by debbie on Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Debbie Hepplewhite
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admin
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Post by admin »

Dear Debbie,

As Malala’s father I want to express my personal gratitude and that of Malala and the whole family to you for signing the petition which gathered 1.4 million signatures in just a few weeks.

I hope you will continue to take an interest as A World at School calls on you, from time to time, to help millions of children in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Nigeria and across the world get to school and enjoy learning.

We are very touched by the support we have received, and, as Malala said to the United Nations:

“Let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.

“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.

“Education is the only solution. Education First”.


Sincerely,

Zia Uddin Yousafzai

www.aworldatschool.org
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debbie
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Post by debbie »

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-robi ... 04726.html

'The Malala Effect'!

Please read the article via the link above.
So how does Malala, whom Gordon Brown called the "most courageous girl in the world" come into play when I am asked why I am working in Africa and not at home? Because Malala -- her resistance to death, her defiance of the Taliban, her bigger, louder and provocative voice -- has inspired millions, literally millions, to echo her call: Education for all children. Everywhere. Now.
Here in England, dreadful pressures are being brought to bear in our schools through inspectorial judgement, local authority and government manipulation - bullying is rife, it is said that 'cheating' is rife and certainly 'stress' is the undercurrent in many of our schools.

Recently, I was witness to some disgraceful authoritative bullying and manipulation from a local authority to individuals in the most wonderful school.

The pressures and stress were immense - and needless.

So, to try to boost morale and demonstrate solidarity, I referred to 'Malala's plight' and thus the plight of so many suppressed, oppressed people, women and children across the world.

The positive effect was instantaneous.

All of a sudden, the scenario here in this English school paled in comparison to Malala's context - and consideration of the global context.

Increased morale, courage and determination to stand up for 'good' was instantaneous.

This is an example of the 'Malala Effect' here in a beautiful school in England.
Debbie Hepplewhite
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debbie
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Post by debbie »

http://www.arabnews.com/news/458759
WHEN the world commemorated Malala Day, it was an occasion that went much beyond marking the bravery and courage of a single girl against her Taleban attackers. The young Pakistani girl Malala Yousufzai, who narrowly escaped death for advocating female education, symbolizes struggle against status quo and determination to fight for a better future of women all over the world. Narrating her ordeal, she told the UN Youth Assembly, “They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed, and out of that silence came thousands of voices.”

According to official statistics by the Federal Education Ministry, the overall literacy rate in Pakistan is only 46 percent. However, the rate is much lower among girls and only 26 percent of females are literate. These figures discount the definition of literacy to also include those people who can merely sign their names. Out of the total 163,000 primary schools in Pakistan, only 40,000 are geared toward educating girls.
Pakistan’s conservative north and rural areas, home to about 70 percent of the population, present an even more dismal picture of education, especially among women. Even though authorities have promised to improve the ground situation and promote literacy programs on an equal footing among both men and women, they have met stiff resistance due to political, social and cultural obstacles in Pakistan. While the number of schools in these areas is scarce, social and cultural norms of the region also limit the prospects of education.

Religious clerics, who reign supreme in conservative areas of Pakistan, prohibit education for girls based on misinterpretations of Islamic teachings. The presence of strong, local landlords further complicates the matters as they banish the formal and informal schools opened by state and non-state organizations. Any opportunities for education, especially for girls, are viewed as a direct challenge to their status and control over the society. As the political system is also based on a close nexus between the clergy and these feudal lords, efforts to deal with the hapless situation are often insincere and not based on well-thought out plans.
It is important that we understand the realities for families, and for girls, in many parts of the world. Please read the whole article - link above.

The attack on Malala and her friends has drawn world-wide attention to the issue of girls' plight regarding education opportunities - but out of this, how can the world truly effect change?
Debbie Hepplewhite
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debbie
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Post by debbie »

http://mashable.com/2013/07/22/yemeni-g ... -main-link

Here is another inspiration girl - just 11 years old.

This time the issue is about forced marriage.

Our children are putting the adult world to shame.
Debbie Hepplewhite
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