Pakistan : Congratulations Malala Yusufzai

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/

Malala Yusufzai is a star of rare talent and humility. Her straightforward views and honest courage are a refreshing and important addition to the world stage, where she has proved to be an accomplished performer. Already she sounds more mature, lucid and intelligent than many Pakistani political leaders and representatives. She has added something invaluable and almost unquantifiable to the global discourse on Pakistan — a directness of purpose many thought lost — and has made women’s education not only her priority but through her a global priority. She continued to speak for her rights when faced with death and even after the Taliban put a bullet in her head, which she narrowly survived. She refused to become a victim of violence and instead became an even stronger voice for the causes she supports. These were among many reasons she was awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, sharing it with Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi. Malala was tipped for the Prize before but taken together with a veteran Indian activist with shared aspirations, the decision was broader than one person. Satyarthi has worked to end bonded and child labour for thirty years in India yet this pairing does not seem unnatural. Malala and Satyarthi appear synonymous with the struggle of people in India and Pakistan for their rights and the rights of others. Satyarthi’s quiet labour and Malala’s shining defiance complement each other in the interests of peace, and that of course is what the Peace Prize is about. A man and a woman, Indian and Pakistani, Hindu and Muslim, older person and child: these differences seem irrelevant in light of the spirit that drives them. Say what one will about Barack Obama’s 2009 award, one cannot fault the Nobel committee this year.

Not only has Malala spoken and written prolifically about her experiences and the need to promote education in Pakistan, her presence has grown and she has charmed and impressed people who are giants in their fields. Her acceptance speech, delivered with the same humility that has endeared her to millions, showed how quickly she has learnt the importance of events like the Nobel Prize ceremony and how they can be used to bring together world leaders. Saying that she had spoken to her Indian counterpart, Malala used the opportunity to invite the Pakistani and Indian Prime Ministers to attend the ceremony in Stockholm on December 10 and find ways to lower tensions between the two countries.

Malala reportedly received the news while sitting in her chemistry class. One can imagine the excitement of a 17-year-old girl in this situation, which reminds us that the award is a huge burden for one so young. It is an affirmation not of her past but of her future and she will need the support of Pakistanis to carry it. Many are willing, particularly girls from poor families for whom Malala has become an example of what is possible. One would expect every Pakistani woman to appreciate Malala’s struggle but many do not. Conspiracy theorists say she is a foreign ‘agent’ or dismiss her as part of a public relations campaign. How terrible that the sense of oppression has created the habit of lethargy. More women should recognise that Malala has pioneered a path for them to progress. She has brought global attention to the cause of Pakistani women. Educating Pakistani girls has become a primary development focus. Women’s rights and empowerment have become powerful ideas in Pakistan. This is an opportunity for Pakistani women to grasp and work together to fight for their rights. Some assert that the Nobel Prize does not matter. However, the Nobel Prize is important. In scientific and intellectual circles it is a sign of which issues are seen as the most important, of who to watch for as much as who to praise, and as an endorsement of purpose. Despite the criticism, Malala remains firmly Pakistani, and owns this country as her home. We must strive to make it a place she can return to without fear.