LONDON: The father of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban for campaigning for girls' education, has been named a UN special advisor on global education, UN envoy Gordon Brown said Monday.
Brown added that the 15-year-old schoolgirl, who is recovering in a British hospital after being brutally attacked on her school bus on October 9, will herself join the campaign when she is better.
Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala's father, is a former teacher and headmaster and has been appointed to help in what Brown has dubbed a new 'Malala Plan' to get all girls into school around the world by the end of 2015.
Brown is also pushing for Malala's birthday, July 12th, to be designated a day of action each year when children around the world are invited to march, demonstrate, petition and pray for education to be delivered worldwide.
"Before she was shot, Malala was advocating the cause of girls' education faced by a Taliban that had closed down and destroyed 600 schools," said the former British prime minister, now UN special envoy for global education.
"If the Taliban sought to vanquish her voice once and for all, they failed.
"For today her voice and her insistent dream that children should go to school echoes all around the world, as girl after girl, each wanting all girls to have the right to go to school, identifies with Malala."
Brown added: "In time Malala herself is determined to join the campaign for every girl's right to education and when she has recovered she will do so, becoming one of the leaders of that campaign."
In an attack that shocked the world, Malala was shot in the head as punishment for the "crime" of campaigning for girls' rights to go to school.
She survived the murder attempt but requires reconstructive surgery after the bullet grazed her brain, coming within centimetres of killing her.
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday visited Malala at the specialist Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, central England, and met with members of her family.
Malala Fund
Pakistan and the Unesco signed a resolution to form a ‘Malala Fund’ in order to provide education to underprivileged girls across the world, reported Express News.
Pakistan also agreed to initially donate $10 million to the fund during a conference held in Paris on Monday, titled “Stand Up for Malala, Stand Up for Girls Education”.
President Asif Ali Zardari commended the UN’s effort of formulating a fund for girls’ education and appreciated Malala’s ‘bravery’ for standing up to the cause despite being attacked.
“Two months ago, on the 9th of October, a young determined daughter of my country, Malala Yousafzai, was attacked by the forces of darkness. Malala Yousafzai stood for the right to education, not just for herself but for a bright, progressive future of Pakistan,” the president said.
He also said that it was ‘deeply moving’ for him to meet Malala in the hospital two days ago and assured that she was showing satisfactory progress.
“Her recovery is a symbol of resilience of my great nation. It is also a symbol of the battle between two mindsets – the one of Malala Yousafzai representing a bright progressive future of Pakistan which is the agenda of the democratic political forces of Pakistan and the other being forced on us by the minority of darkness, violence, hatred and conflict,” President Zardari stated.
He urged other governments, donors, politicians and educationists to help so that it can be ensured that “every Malala in Pakistan receives quality education and contributes towards a progressive Pakistan”.
Malala thanks supporters
In a message read by a girl at the conference, Malala thanked her supporters and well-wishers and vowed to keep struggling hard.
“Today is the happiest day for me because the honourable president of Pakistan and the UNESCO are here to help the poor and uneducated children,” the message read.
Malala added that she had received thousands of cards full of good wishes and a lot of gifts but a greater honour for her would be education for all girls.
“The sooner all deprived children go to school, the sooner I will get better.”
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Attacks are increasing rapidly and so the cases of accident also..This 15-year-old schoolgirl is recovering in a British hospital after being brutally attacked on her school bus will herself join the campaign when she is better...
Such efforts will help rehabilitate Pakistan's image in the world. Malala is certainly a hero in her own terms and has done much to increase the awareness for women's education, not only in Pakistan but in the whole of world. There is a need to open more colleges, more women focused institutes that will take the case of women's education further. For more info please visit www.shiksha.com
@Khan Gul: have you visited government schools ? Just answer me this. I guess not since you are just quoting the pledges by foreign countries or loans of world bank/ADB/IMF :) please do visit any Govt school & you'll get your so called challenge answered. As for politicians pocketing funds, Punjab has diverted its education funds, KPK has failed to do any progress too, so has Sindh & same goes for Baluchistan. If these politicians can't take care of Govt schools in provincial capitals & its suburbs then just imagine the state of schools in rural areas. I have seen the schools, you need to see them too & come out of these website articles & figures. one model school is not enough, people like you go gaga over one model school showcased over media.
@Qaisrani: English was supposed to be language of rationalists ........who said that? thoughts could be expressed in any way....get your basics right!
Mr. True Picture,
I do a big salute to your true picture. Please answer the challenge: ... I write again I challenge you to prove that a foreign fund for education has gone into some politician’s pocket. And I also challenge you to proof which Pakistani khairati idara is working to restore the 3000 or so schools destroyed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so far?
If you can't, then acknowledge that from now on you will learn to appreciate the good things that are happening in Pakistan and tthat you are going to stop being a hypocrite and conspiracy theorist. Afterall, Mr. Yousafzai is not eating from your pocket that you are bringing heavens down. The sacrifice he has given of himself, and his family deserves a lot more of appreciation but unfortunately he belongs to a thankless nation.
By the way it is funny how you assume everyone other than yourself to be sitting on couches. You don't even know me !!!! And which model school did they show on TV? I thought you don't believe in the lies of media.
@Khan Gul: have you visited those schools??? has anyone ever seen these schools apart from one lone model school they show over TV??? don't make a fool out of yourself since you are just quoting website figures & articles. Do visit Government schools to get a fair idea how well these funds are being used but I guess you like to sit on your couch & pass comments on articles only while its tiring for you to do some research on your own :)
Mr. True Picture,
From where do you get your true pictures mashallah? You are very pohoncha huwa banda I guess because you don't believe in media then you must be getting some news through some kala jadoo or through some divine intervention ??? Please do share your source with me.
I challenge you to prove that a foreign fund for education has gone into some politician's pocket. And I also challenge you to proof which Pakistani khairati idara is working to restore the 3000 or so schools destroyed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so far?
There is a limit to stupidity and a limit to believing in conspiracy theories. This matter is not about khairati schools. Unfortunately you waday waday log feel that you have fulfilled your responsibility when you donate a few hundred rupees in khairat to poor people. This is the most you waday pakistani's can do. Wait for a disaster. Send a truck-load of relief items. And feel happy about it Mashallah Jazakallah !!!!
For your kind information the only ones who are doing something on the ground is the army who has repaired a few buildings, and foreign donor's like UNICEF, Norwegian government (1.2 million $), World Bank (300 million rupees), USAID (2 Billion rupees) who are actually on the ground building schools from scratch and so far these foreign donors have built 650 schools. Those who do, do. Those who don't, cry Malala Malala on Express Tribune. People like you are playing with the future of a whole generation of children. History will never forgive you conspiracy mongers !!!!
@Waseem: second you, its not about Malala, she is an innocent girl! she is rather a victim of exploitation & I blame her father for pushing her into all this mess! Why US embassy used to hold meetings with them in Islamabad? how many schools did they open? why there was so much outcry for her & not a single outcry for so many civilians being killed in Pakistan due to foolish war on terror? US just opens one model school & that's it they & NGO's make a hype out of it! its all about media game now & people just pass comments on articles & keep a blind eye on the ground realities.
@Khan Gul: FYI most of the charity schools are funded by Pakistanis themselves, many of the foreign funded schools are hardly visible on ground, they are like a needle in haystack! The foreign funds end up in the pockets of politicians or used in some other projects, if these foreign funded schools were so successful then by now we should have seen hundreds of schools if not thousands of them after so many decades of these so called foreign pledges for education. Come out of this media fantasy & look at the ground realities if you are really living in Pakistan! People like you just believe in the media story & live far from reality, majority are studying in Pakistani funded schools so keep your foolish advice since you are unaware of Pakistan. There will be only one school after Malala's name just to project to the whole world, rest of the money will be used up elsewhere, mark my word.
When shakeel afridi will be the ambassador of patriotism & peace for UN. when?
I feel sorry when act & conduct of the educated people exposed dirty. Congrats to Malala on his father's success and acknowledgments by the UN. We are proud of Malala & her father being Pakistanis. Malala you shouldn't worry about these jealous behaviors because they cannot do anything positive except criticizing. Allah jiss ko chahe Izat de.
I don’t think its jealousy. It’s the way events are connected and exploited and abused. Her uncle given a job in UK, and father hired by UN. Whats the agenda behind? People want know the truth.
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Alhamdullilah, May Allah Bless Malala, Her Father and Family and all who wish to seek education whether in Pakistan or elsewhere.
And a message to those commenting against this little girl and her family - jealousy is a bad thing, it eats away at the soul, move away from Mullahism and embrace Islam and fight for the rights of the young who wish to seek education - cease this jealousy!
@Salman Nisar: The bigotry never stops.
Well this is interesting. And his qualification and experience for the task would be? Seriously, if one can't can't bring forth his credentials for the post and transparancy of the appointment, one doesn't have the choice but to consider that some sort of poltical gimmickry in play...
Pakistanis deserve the Taliban rule!! I have said that many times before in private but after reading these comments, I am convinced that I was right!! I have lost all hope for the future generations of Pakistan with the conspiracy theory mentality that prevails.
Shame on all you hate-mongers and critics
I have an advice for all of you. Please do not send your sons and daughters to the schools setup/to be setup under the name of Malala or his fater .. whether through local government help, or through international donors. If a single child from your family is educated in these schools, you will be what is normally known as munafiq. Instead, please close your daughters in your homes and send your sons to Ehsanullah Ehsan. You can reach him on facebook or through your nearest JI/JUI/PTI representatives.
Many congratulations to Mr. Yosufzai.
I smell alot of jealousy among the people here! Get a life guys!
What a 'sell-out-schmuck'!!!. Very unbecoming of a 'Pashtun'...!!!
this is great news and Yousafzai will be needing help so Kainat and Shazia Fathers should be considered in the helping hands :-).
Jealousy... is a mental cancer.
English was supposed to be language of rationalists.Look at the comments, it seems people are commenting on "Ummat" website with same mentality.Better revert back to Urdu and continue living in fools paradise and self-denial.
Long Live Malala.Long live her father and their mission.Down with forces of evil and darkness.
Jealousy... is a mental cancer. You all need treatment. According to physics rule out put is always lesser than input. These new science bro and sis you need to learn it. Stay tune more news ,,, and keeps jealous or learn how to pay less and get more.
This drama will never end!
@SK: A guy who was a school principle under taliban rule, who was so dedicated towards education that he was the last to close his school, who persuaded her daughter to right in news paper, to study! What else do u want on CV?
What better evidence would one need to get the whole rationale of the media campaign including world renown celebrities and influence of the top officials around the world (all for the espousal of of U.S. hegemony) how new world order is being orchestrized on muslim world, only Pak was left; western influence has already been started and now they would intervene Pak on the name of "human rights"
Its was Malala's father who brought Malala in media while he was working for some NGO during Sawat operation & both of them used to be in meetings with US embassy in Islamabad. btw he is not even close to a calibre of an intellectual person & he is made an advisor!!! anyway, good thing that there is a fund for girls education & education in general for everyone BUT we have yet to see any prominent effect of these so called foreign funds in Pakistan whereas our local Pakistanis are doing much better in educating Children compared with all these media frenzy personalities we see who just talk but do nothing.
Yep, its all a conspiracy.
Previous comments were just out of anger, I wish no girl get shot like Malala, she and her father deserve all the benefits they are getting now.
It is a question of taking another shot by the radicals or leading a better life for his talented, but mutilated kid. He made the right choice. Malala's father deserves all the encouragement and endorsement..
so this is level of UN's hiring. A guy from a village is adviser only to showcase him........ simply pathetic
congrats..I am proud on you- i dont have time to pay heed to the critics. 'Time' will educate them or their off-springs..
Mission accomplished...."The Real Gul Makai!"
UN efforts are laudable but some prominent religious leaders in Pakistan need to persuade Taliban that imparting of education to girls is a must in the present day era otherwise who would treat their ailing sisters, wives or daughters if no lady doctors are available in their province.
@Zeeshan:
"Can world press Pakistan to Spend at least 40% of GDP on Education and Health? Current is roughly 2% on education and 1 % on Health"
Pakistan's total GDP in 2011 was US $210 billion and the current total budget is US $26.7 billion, which is around 13% of GDP. Now, how the world can press Pakistan to spend 40% of GDP on education and health? Any example from over 200 countries of the world.
His father is truly taking advantage of his daughter. Well Done Mr. Yousafzai! Mission Accomplished.
@Maxwood
Ameen brother.
I don't know what has happened to our collective wisdom.
In 2009, the Noble committee bestowed Peace Price to Mr. Barrack Obama "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. while he had only served as America's President for less than two weeks.
Now Malala’s father named UN advisor on education: Envoy. Come on there were thousands of others who dedicated their whole life promoting education.
Seeing the affairs Albert Einstein famous quote crossed my mind "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former"
Oh Gosh !! what is going on here..
Finally! The plan has worked!
oh God give me Daughter Like her
Wide spread education cuts in England speak itself of the new Plan? Can world press Pakistan to Spend at least 40% of GDP on Education and Health? Current is roughly 2% on education and 1 % on Health............Money makes the mare go...........not just the icon Making.
Wah! All five fingers in oil!