As the world prepares to celebrate the UN mandated Malala Day on November 10 (today), tens of thousands of Britons called on the government on Friday to nominate Malala Yousafzai for the Nobel Peace Prize.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday announced the celebration in honour of the girls’ education activist. In a video message placed on the UN website, he said that education is a fundamental human right.
Ban added: “Malala Yousafzai is a global symbol of every girl’s right to an education. On November 10, citizens from across the globe are speaking out for Malala and on behalf of the 61 million children still not in school. My special envoy for global education, Gordon Brown, will deliver a petition in support of Malala and the universal right to education.
The UN chief added: “I am adding my voice to the messages from over one million people across the globe. Education is a fundamental human right. It is a pathway to development, tolerance and global citizenship. Join us in our campaign to put education first, for Malala and girls and boys throughout the world.”
Calls to nominate Malala for Nobel Peace Prize
A campaign led by a Pakistani-British woman urged UK Prime Minister David Cameron and other senior government officials to 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 Choudhary said in a statement issued by global petition platform Change.org.
More than 30,000 people have signed the petition in Britain as part of a global push by women’s rights advocates to nominate her for the prize. Similar campaigns have sprung up in Canada, France and Spain.
Under the Nobel Committee’s rules, only prominent figures such as members of national assemblies and governments are able to make nominations.
Malala’s shooting was the culmination of years of campaigning that had pitted the young girl against one of Pakistan’s most ruthless Taliban commanders, Maulana Fazlullah.
Fazlullah and his men had taken over Swat Valley, blowing up girls’ schools and publicly executing those they deemed immoral. An army offensive in Swat has, however, forced many Taliban fighters to flee.
The call to nominate the 15-year-old comes on the eve of the “Global Day of Action” for Malala, marking one month since her shooting.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2012.
COMMENTS (37)
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Why not, Obama won it along with EU. As if it is not laughing stock already.
@Dawn Did you notice how Kennedy's head burst! That's what it's like, it's not like a simple swelling, or discoloration. I don't like the Taliban, I actually hate them, but you need some evidence to prove something the world is capitalizing on against Pakistan. How can the world be using it on it without first judging it's authenticity. I don't like believing in what I say, but it's just the only thing that makes sense.
@khan Maybe you should try thinking a bit straighter before going on calling people who disagree with you "idiots". Use your own intellect, and common sense, don't judge her because she was a young girl, judge her as if you don't know her age or gender, and just look at the evidences. They're playing with your emotions!
@lovePak: Bro you don't have any knowledge whatso ever when it comes to trauma .. you are unfortunately among many , who are secretly in love with Talibans or may be not so secretly . like many miserable Pakistanis ,you want a drama , an open wound or may be a dead body before you would believe anything . did you noticed the pattern of swelling between the day she got shot and very recently during recovery , even noticed the very obvious pattern of discoloration ?
@Heena Shahid: Their are thousands of children who desreve more than malala and it is govt. responsibility to give them what they need but the thing is that malala is actually doing something for children rights or whatever is is doing. She is a famous personality and famous personalities always get attention their are thousands of people who die everyday and we dont even know about them but everyone knows about a famous person thats why they are given attention
A brave young girl was shot in the head , by brainless cowards . some comments made on here such as by lovepak prove even bigger idiots exist here . They can't tell the difference between fact and fiction . Instead of supporting her they are spreading baseless lies about her. I wish her complete recovery from her terrible injuries . God bless Malala .
And why exactly is her wound hidden in every single picture? Where's the evidence where you need it! They always cover the wound or take the picture from the other side even though they know if they just show it, a lot of people could be convinced. It really is suspicious. And let's just say, a bullet to the head, that's not how your face looks after that. John F Kennedy's head exploded, that's more what it's like. Widespread damage, meaning they eyes and most of the face are also damaged. Especially from point blank range. And what kind of assassin shoots his target once. They shoot 5-6 times after they're dead to confirm it. That's one miserably pathetic assassin if you ask me. I ain't saying that she wasn't shot, just giving evidence of what's more likely. Can't rule out divine intervention either, or just sheer luck!
@rashid My friend, drones have an accuracy of only 2%! That's not me coming up with this stat, this is Stanford and NYU. The support she received was only after she was shot, before it I for one didn't know about her, and neither did anyone close to me. The rise of female literacy was because of the Swat operation and the fact that the Taliban lost control. Malala is in no way associated with the rise, and the inspiration she has become now is not because of her blogs, it's because she got shot.
@Ch. Allah Daad: Well done Chaudhry sahib. By reading comments here, I am amazed at the level of jealously and stupidity shown by coward people.
Taliban Khan and his supporters are jealous of Malala's respect and fame. Its natural because their leader is disrespected and off loaded at international airports, whereas Malala is respected and hounoured in the whole world. Its not Malala's fault, their leader chose the wrong path. Thank you Malala for making us proud.
@jism: Fought for decades? Dude! Seriously?? Even obama has one! Attleast get ur facts right
@love pak bro how do u say she has convinced next to no one? i started a campaign on cause.com in her name i got like 20000 supporters in a single day can u imagine that? Afia sidiqui is an adult she an american not a pakistani in first place.(no relvance here) I dont deny the services rendered by Edhi neither the world is denying but u cant compare the two. He too is facing threats u know from who the same taliban. People are blind when they say its a drama did malala request america to send drones and attack the triable areas? btw i fully endorse the drones they are the most accurate weapons.
We support her getting the Nobel Peace Prize simply because she had the gust to stand up to the Khawariji extremists who were destroying schools and the future of Pakistan systematically - its time Pakistanis also stood up for their future or there will be no future
@rashid Has she done anything close to what Edhi has done. And Edhi is only in Pakistan, there are so many people who have done far more than Malala if indeed she did what people claim she did. For the record, Malala has done literally nothing compared to Edhi. Was she the reason why we see a rise in female literacy rate there? Or is it more because the army liberated it from Taliban control. She has convinced next to no one to actually study. The real reason is because they now feel safer at schools. And we all hate the Taliban, please stop assuming that because we think the whole thing is a drama, that we are suddenly pro-Taliban.
I've yet to say or think anything negative of the girl and I can't see myself doing it in the future. I'm also not going to keep repeating that to make sure people don't throw a tantrum. If it somehow gets you bent out of shape while overreacting, that's your problem. The award would seem empty. It's the timing. It would seem more sincere had she gotten a nomination before the shooting. It gives me the unshakeable feeling that it's all about the publicity and exploiting peoples emotions. They're not nominating her because of her past actions. She's nominated because she took a bullet to the head. Awards are something you "earn" through conscious action. Her actions she's known for happened a fair amount of time before the shooting. But, it's not as though it's the only award in the world or the only way to give her recognition. They should just go about it in ways that are more fitting. Because really... Giving the Nobel prize to her is based in pity/sympathy with timing factored in. Who would even want an award for that reason? People who aren't arrogant and egotistical usually end up eventually becoming self critical and questioning if they deserve such things. It might be delayed but, one day, she would come to the conclusion herself that it isn't fitting, then it just turns into a decoration.
Malala deserves not only Noble peace prize but also Pakistan's highest award. She has shown more courage and honour than all Taliban, their supporters and cowards who are jealous of her fame and popularity. Those cowards who could not dare to go to Swat when Taliban ruled, or have never stood for a cause in their disgusting lives, have no idea what courage means. Her courage is unmatched in entire history of Pakistan. They are jealous because Malala has earned more respect, honour and fame than Taliban Khan.
I dunno what some people here are talking about. I support female rights to education, I support gender equality, I support the hundreds of children no different from Malala who die or have to get their limbs amputated because of drone strikes. And if there is any proof that Malala was really shot, or actually wrote that blog, I would support her too. Can't you people see they are playing with your emotions, if this had happened to an adult male, no one would give a damn! But women and children have become symbolic of innocence, it does not mean they're always innocent. There is no evidence of the whole thing, in fact all evidence points against it. It doesn't make me inhuman to value Aafia Siddique over Malala Yousafzai. And to add to that, the "miserably failed" assassin roams free in Afghanistan. If they really care, why not kill the assassin rather than making a "Malala Day". People have made Malala this saintly character, an infallible, a symbol that she clearly isn't. And she does NOT deserve the prize more than Edhi for God's sake!
Thank you Malala for your bravery. May those who hurt you and live their lives through hate and fear be brought down by the Almighty. Every man, woman and child around the world join together in prayer whether you are of any religion that pray to the same Great God Almighty and pray for the downfall of those evil ones who hurt this beautiful brave little girl and deliver her and her family from this evil in the name of the Father of all which is good Amen. Love and Peace <3
@wonder why.
Absolutely correct. It seems IQ is giving way to EQ. Someday in future people might demand Nobel prize be awarded on highest number of recommends received through SMSs.
Nobel Prize for Peace is a Fake proze anyway. Pakistanis should boycott it. Remember they gave this prize to Obama, the second greatest war monger in history after Hitler !! Nobel prizes are a sick joke. Why cant we have our own Prize !!
With so many people above claiming that Malala did not write the diary, it becomes clear that she deserves multiple Nobel prizes not just one. While Taliban maybe illeterate savages we have got plenty who are educated and perfectly fluent in English language.
she has done a great job, but noble is still far away. look at those all who have won the noble prizes, they have nearly fought for decades and decades, and most of them have will fully put their life in danger to prove their point,that was not the case of malala.
Malala, came to light only when she was attacked, if that had not happened, then to this day no one would have heard name.
she needs to awarded for her bravery and her work, but do remember that there are many other girls out there who have died or were treated just the same way, malala was lucky that her story did not fall on deaf ears, but many have been unlucky. Point is, for a noble, you need a lifetime of dedication and hard work, and malala's work although noble, it is still premature and in incipient stage.
rather than demanding noble, stand up and support her in her mission for girls education, even if awarded noble, nothing will change the reality of those girls who are threatened by the Taliban.she still has to accomplish a lot before she can be considered as a nominee for noble.
we kindly vote for malala for the nobel prize!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay what happened to Malala was absolutely tragic, but come on Nobel Peace Prize, definitely not.
A very Happy Malala Day i.e. 10.11.12 to all who are humans having their conscience & minds. Sorry to those who without going through the article are not only passing the comments but also shaking their humanity.
@lovePak: I hope that day never dawns in the world in which Ms Siddiqui is declared a peace hero... Lolz.
The easy route to fame and money nowadays is to malign Pakistan or Islam!
This is absurd. There is not even any proof that she wrote the diary herself. Too much hype created for Malala!
Every1 is behind Pakistan, so what if taliban kill their own people here. they belong to us. Who leaded them to the idiology of extremism? Every wise man can answer this simple quetion, but what about Israel where everyday dozens of malala is killed and raped, what about their cruelism they spread in the Once a peaceful Land Palastine. Hypocrites never shut and they hope for taliban LoL. And Whole media is hindring Israeli crimes by highlighting unimportant isues. Vampires of resources r creating drama of civilisations clashes, bullsh... Enjoye till the day when every sleeping human raise or at least to the day of judgement.
What about Edhi??? So apparently if you run a blog that there is no evidence you even came up with, and get shot in the head with a rubber bullet, it makes you worthy of a nobel prize. And a day named after you.
Happy Malala day! When are we gonna have an Aafia Siddique day or a day that condemns drone victims or the victims of the DU ammunition the US Army uses in the Middle East?