Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai on Sunday urged Muslim leaders to avoid recognizing the Taliban government in Afghanistan and show real leadership by opposing their policies limiting women’s education and girls.
Addressing a summit on girls’ education in Islamabad, Malala firmly said: “Don’t legitimize them.”
“Simply put, the Taliban do not view women as human beings,” she said. “They hide their crimes under cultural and religious justification. These policies constitute a violation of human rights and have no basis in Islamic teachings.
She called on Muslim leaders to show real leadership by refusing to legitimize the Taliban government. “As Muslim leaders, now is the time to raise your voices and use your power to oppose such injustices,” she added.
She sharply criticized Israel’s actions in Gaza, accusing it of dismantling the region’s education system and committing human rights violations.
“In Gaza, Israel has decimated the entire education system,” she said during her speech. “They bombed all universities, destroyed more than 90% of schools and indiscriminately attacked civilians sheltering in school buildings. A young Palestinian girl cannot have the future she deserves if her school is bombed and her family is killed. »
The summit aimed to address challenges related to girls’ education in Muslim communities and explore the role of international leaders in ensuring equal access to education. Malala pledged to continue defending the rights of children in conflict zones, saying: “I will not remain silent in the face of such violations of international law and human rights.”
The current crisis began on October 7, 2023, when Israel launched a large-scale military offensive in Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the offensive left more than 46,000 people dead.
The destruction of schools and universities has left thousands of children without access to education, worsening the humanitarian crisis. Malala stressed the urgency of international intervention to protect the rights and future of Palestinian children.
Malala, who was shot in the face by the Pakistani Taliban at the age of 15 for her education activism, has become a global symbol of resilience and advocacy for girls’ education.
After convalescing in the United Kingdom, at 17 she became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She continues to campaign for equal educational opportunities around the world, focusing on children and women in conflict zones.
Malala concluded her speech by calling for international solidarity to support education in conflict zones and end discriminatory practices against women and girls.
“Palestinian children, Afghan girls and millions of others around the world deserve a future where education is their right, not a privilege,” she said. “We must come together to protect their dreams, their dignity and their rights. »
