Ei-iE

A high level advocacy event was co-organised by UNESCO and the Government of Pakistan at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on 10 December, International Human Rights Day. Entitled ‘Stand Up for Malala – Girls’ Education is a Right’, the event was held with the purpose of advocating for the unequivocal right to education of every girl in the four corners of the world.

‘Too many girls in too many countries are held back simply because they are girls’(Irina Bokova, Director-General, UNESCO).

Malala Yousafzai is the 14-year old Pakistani school girl, an advocate for girls’ right to education, who was on her way home from school when she was shot in the head by Taliban marksmen on 9 October. This brutal crime was met with universal condemnation in the media, and from politicians across political line in every region of the world. This shocking attempt to stop a teenage girl from going to school and asserting her own and her female peers’ right to be educated triggered a groundswell of support for Malala, and for the plight of millions of other girls in other countries, who are excluded from education because of their gender.

Short keynote speeches were made by a distinguished group of speakers, all of whom called for girls’ right to education to be respected and protected. They included Asif Ali Zardari, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Jean-Marc Ayrault, Prime Minister of the Republic of France; Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General of UNESCO; Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women; Tarja Halonen, former President of Finland; and Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education.

‘What we need are not speeches that bring people to their feet, but action that brings the world to its senses’(Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education)

The atmosphere at the event was one of solidarity and determination to ensure that Malala’s dream, ‘to see all children, especially girls, going to school to be educated’, would be made a reality across the world. The Government of Pakistan led the way by announcing the establishment of the Malala Fund for Girls’ Education, to which Pakistan has already pledged US$10 million. In addition, Gordon Brown will spearhead a campaign for the recognition of July 12th, Malala’s birthday, as Malala’s Day, for advocacy to raise awareness about the barriers preventing girls from accessing education in different countries around the world. My Yousafzai, Malala’s father, will act as a special adviser to the campaign, as will Malala once she has fully recovered from her injuries.

‘My dream is to see all children, especially girls, going to school to be educated…I am on a journey to see my dreamland; it does not matter if I fall down, I will stand’(Malala Yousafzai)

Reflecting the sentiments of Malala’s words, which were read out in a statement she sent to the event, EI and its affiliates affirm the right of all girls to have equal access to, and participation in quality public education.

EI applauds the initiative of UNESCO and the Government of Pakistan in organising this high level advocacy event; and further calls for continued advocacy and action to ensure full gender equality within education. Girls’ access to education would amount to nothing if it is not matched by gender equality across the education sector, including within curricula and teaching materials, and in society in general.