By MAMAMIA TEAM
Malala Yousafzai is the feminist voice of our age.
The 16-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl, who was shot by the Taliban two years ago for fighting for her right to education, appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart after winning the EU’s human rights award, the Sakharov Prize.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f506lCk6Tos
The whole interview is incredible, but the best bit is definitely when Jon Stewart asks her what she would say to a member of the Taliban:
I will tell him how important education is and that “I even want education for your children as well,” and I will tell him, “that’s what I want to tell you, now do what you want.”
Malala is also in the running for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.
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I've just finished watching an episode of BBC World's PANORAMA program which told Malala's story.
I say this kind of thing a lot I know, but this MUST be shown ASAP in all schools, while her story is so topical.
Her appreciation of getting an education daily is both touching and infectious and her courage is amazing.
Education is about much more than memorising enough facts to pass an exam .
Learning to think critically, freedom to ask questions, to debate subjects, to dispute issues, to be outspoken and opinionated is rare for women in many places in the world and it infuriates those men who's egos demand obedience.
There's nothing "spiritual" about silencing women's voices and freedom. This entire issue is about stealing women's resources under the guise of religion.
We need the outspoken ones.....the women who dare to say the unpopular things because their time has come and our world will be all the better for it........it's not just women who'll benefit, but the men in their lives as well.
If this lovely, courageous, brilliant girl survives long enough she is destined to be leader - possibly of her country.
Sadly, it's not just the Taliban that holds those violent sexist/misogynistic views. There are many other religious and cultural groups in the world who will continue to harm women daily - simply for being female and valuable to men as servants, cooks, child -care workers and unpaid workers who are preferably unskilled and uneducated and QUIET.
Education is a huge threat to the "control of the masses". The biblical myth of Adam & Eve being warned to not eat from the "tree of knowledge" should have sent alarm bells ringing centuries ago - even my pesky, inquisitive 6 year old self questioned that one...lol.
There are religious sects in the USA (for eg) who blatantly suppress, subdue and exploit (usually sexually) women who live in their communities and it's only education and the law which will set them free.
I believe we're enriched in so many ways by welcoming immigrants into our country but a certain amount of screening should probably be done when they apply. Advising those people who hold strict views about (for eg) Sharia Law not to come to our country would be wise at this point.
Women comprise aprox 50% of the population and squandering 50% of our intellectual wealth is madness.
Any culture who does this is guaranteeing it's demise.