According to the latest figures from international campaign organisation, Avaaz, the secondary education rates for girls in Pakistan are as low as 29% at the moment. Pakistan’s constitution stipulates that boys should be educated as well as boys, however, a lack of funding for female eduction and radical anti-secularism prevent the numbers from growing.
The story came to light earlier this month when a young blogger and campaigner called Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunman. The attack was sparked by the 14-year-old girl’s protests at the oppression of female education in her region of Pakistan, the north-western area know as Swat Valley.
Writing for BBC Urdu back in 2009, Malala’s diary documented the Valley’s control by the Taliban militants since 2007 before the Pakistan military drove them out of the area in 2009. Three years on, the young girl’s courage and insight has resulted in the attack on her life.
Despite the fact that Malala survived the attack, with the bullet being removed shortly afterwards, the activity of the radicals in the area will more than likely make it impossible for her to return to her former life with any real safety.
Picking up on the atrocity, Avaaz has started a campaign to add their weight to the young girl’s simple wish to attend school. The campaign calls on Pakistan politicians to fund girls attending school, starting with Malala’s province. When the campaign reaches 1 million, the organisation will deliver the petition to the UN education envoy, Gordon Brown, who will deliver it in person to the President of Pakistan, and the Pakistani media.
The count currently stands at 831,561, so it’s approaching the figure it needs to kick start the action. To add your weight to the campaign, visit, https://www.avaaz.org/en/malala_hope_f/?bSAqVbb&v=18800.
For more information about Malala’s fight, visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19893309.
