'She Was Willing To Get Shot To Read.' Twitter Backs Malala After Her Afghanistan Plea
Girls education advocate Malala on Afghanistan crisis expresses deep worry. She came to global prominence after being shot at 15 by the Taliban for pursuing studies.
Malala on Afghanistan issued a statement Sunday, as the Taliban advanced into the capital city of Kabul, completing the seizure of power and marking the beginning of a new regime.
"Deeply worried about women, minorities and human rights advocates," 24-year-old Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai called on global powers for urgent action in the face of unfolding crisis in Afghanistan. "We watch in complete shock..." she
At the young age of 15, Malala was shot by the Pakistani Taliban in her native Swat Valley for being a strong advocate of education for girls, women's rights and speaking against terror in her country. The Islamist organisation's murder attempt failed and Malala survived, her story becoming a global inspiration for the right to education for girls.
Malala's history with the Taliban and identity as its most prominent critic prompted social media users to question her alleged silence in days prior to the terror outfit taking Kabul. Even as she issued a statement, she was brutally trolled by a section on Twitter for "only worrying, doing nothing."
In an empowering show of solidarity with the young activist, netizens stood behind Malala with reminders of the unparalleled extent she had been willing to go to against the Taliban.
Malala On Afghanistan: Activist Calls On The World For Action
The Taliban have not been discreet in their contempt for Malala with subsequent threats to her speech and life. In February this year, a militant, allegedly the same one who shot her a decade ago, threatened her on social media according to reports. Next time, "there would be no mistake," he wrote. Read here.
In her home country too, she is a constant figure of controversy for her liberated views on marriage, women's rights and beliefs. Yet the young Nobel awardee has persisted in her efforts to get the voices of women and girls for education across.
In Afghanistan, fears of an impending vacuum of women's rights under the Taliban have spurred despair among activists in the country, as they anticipate a pushback on gender equal education and work lives. Here's what an educator based in Afghanistan told SheThePeople.
During their rule between 1996 and 2001, the Taliban had notoriously clamped down on the educational rights of girls - a fate Afghan women are scared is set to repeat. The terror outfit, presenting itself in "changed" moderation, has claimed it will allow women and girls to pursue studies.
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