In 2009 Malala Yousafzai began writing a blog on
BBC Urdu about life in the Swat Valley as the
Taliban gained control, at times banning girls
from attending school. When her identity was
discovered, Malala began to appear in both
Pakistani and international media, advocating
the freedom to pursue education for all. In
October 2011, gunmen boarded Malala's school bus
and shot her in the face, a bullet passing
through her head and into her shoulder.
Remarkably, Malala survived the shooting. At a
very young age, Malala Yousafzai has become a
worldwide symbol of courage and hope. Her
shooting has sparked a wave of solidarity across
Pakistan, not to mention globally, for the right
to education, freedom from terror and female
emancipation.