The story of Malala
Malala is a young woman who is speaking up for girls education and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
Today I watched the film about her story, “He named me Malala”. It’s a beautiful, inspiring story. It resonates so strongly with me and I wanted to share some thoughts.
The first one is this: she is who she is because her father is a special men who understood the power of believing in his children both boys and girls. That proves to me that in the path towards equal rights for all human being, men are as important actors as women. It’s not possible to achieve equal rights if men are against it, or even if they’re silent and don’t speak up for it. It’s moving to see how a father is speaking against abusing traditions. Tradition in his region was that girls wouldn’t study. As a result, they’d get married when they’re very young and simply raise children without having access to education, without developing their own critical ideas and awareness. I love to see men fighting against these traditions and challenging the status quo. Change can only come if men join forces with women toward a world where all human beings, although all different, have equal rights.
The second thought is that she’s an extraordinary example of focus. She’s been shot, and she could have spent the following years just blaming the shooter and crying on the disgrace. But she instead focused on what to do next. I think this is a lesson for us all: blaming will not bring any change. Even if there actually is someone to blame, blame will keep us stuck in the past, and impede us to keep working in the right direction. She did it when she was 16 so we can all do it, we have no excuses.
So to wrap up, the film is moving, and if nothing else, it will make you think, will inspire you and give you hope for a better world.