Malala Yousafzai to speak at Sharjah IIFMENA conference

Sharjah - Yousafzai expressed her delight for being given the opportunity to talk about the challenges that face girls' access to education in her country.

Pakistani female education activist Malala Yousafzai, the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, will be a key speaker at the second 'Investing in the Future' (IIFMENA) conference in Sharjah.

The conference titled 'Building the Resilience of Women and Girls in the Arab Region' is being organised by The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a Sharjah-based international humanitarian body dedicated to aiding vulnerable people worldwide.

The event, being conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), is being held in Sharjah on October 19 and 20.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah; and his wife, Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of TBHF and Chairperson of the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA), the IIFMENA conference will provide a platform for engaging discussions highlighting the need to incorporate women and young girls into decision-making through economic empowerment, paying attention to their specific needs in education, skills-training and employment.

The two-day forum will bring together government officials, representatives of international and non-governmental organisations, advocates of gender equality, academics and a number of experts and media personalities from across the world.

Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of Salam Ya Seghar - a TBHF initiative - said; "We are eager advocates of our girls' right to education. The UAE, since its inception, has always stood strongly for this. Our efforts are in line with our leadership's firm belief in knowledge contributing to building and strengthening women's capacities, allowing them to effectively participate in community development. Educated women are better able to serve their families and nations and can work to a higher capacity to ensure stability and progress in their respective countries."

Underlining the significance of and the symbolism behind bringing Yousafzai as a key speaker at the event, Al Hammadi said: "Malala is a role model for girls and women across the world. Her fight against the oppressive forces creating roadblocks for female education and empowerment is one of the bravest the world has ever seen. Her determination and insistence in the process to the extent of being shot for her cause not only leaves an imprint on her nation and society, but on ours and on societies across the world."

Commenting on her participation in the conference, Yousafzai expressed her delight for being given the opportunity to talk about the challenges that face girls' access to education in her country. She highlighted the importance of empowering girls to fulfil their wishes and effectively contribute to developing their communities and getting involved in the development process. She stressed that the impressive presence of international attendees at the conference will allow her to make the voices of her same-aged counterparts heard in order to ensure a better future for them.

Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi were named joint winners of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for their outstanding contributions and achievements in humanitarian work.

Participating at the conference also is Ziauddin Yousafzai, recognised for being a Pakistani diplomat, father of Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, the current UN Special Advisor on Global Education and the educational attache of Pakistan in its consulate in Birmingham, UK. Yousafzai will be one of the key speakers during a panel discussion titled "Combating Violent Extremism", which is set as the first roundtable panel discussion during the first day of the conference.

The second edition of the IIFMENA conference will strive to further cement the grounds that are being laid for women to be recognised as equals and as agents of change for peace and economic prosperity. The conference aims to support all women, including refugees and displaced persons, by working to meet their needs and to ensure full rights and justice for them.
She is Malala
Malala Yousafzai defied the Taliban and campaigned for girls' right to receive an education in her native Swat Valley, Khyber Paktunkhwa province, in Northwest Pakistan, starting 2009, when she was just aged 11-12. Ignoring the ban by the Taliban Movement, she continued to go to school with a few other girls. Writing an Urdu blog for the BBC, she spoke out against Taliban occupation. The blog marked a turning point in Yousafzai's advocacy, which grew into an international movement. In October 2012, she was shot and critically injured by a Taliban gunman, prompting her move to the UK for medical treatment and rehabilitation. In 2014, she became the co-recipient of that year's Nobel Peace Prize. She continues to work for human rights issues and the cause of girls' education.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com 

• Sharjah