ISLAMABAD – Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai is set to attend a summit on girls’ education in Islamabad.
Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012 for her advocacy, has only visited Pakistan a few times since her evacuation after the attack.
A representative from the Malala Fund confirmed that Yousafzai will be present at the summit.
In a post on X, she shared her excitement: “I am looking forward to joining Muslim leaders from around the world for this important conference on girls’ education. On Sunday, I will speak about the need to protect girls’ right to education and why global leaders must hold the Taliban accountable for their crimes against Afghan women and girls.”
Afghanistan, Pakistan’s neighbor, remains the only country where girls and women are banned from attending school and university.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, they have imposed strict Islamic laws, which the United Nations has labeled “gender apartheid.”
The Taliban’s restrictions allow girls only to attend primary school, while women are mostly confined to segregated roles in health and education.
The Taliban claims that their version of Islamic law “guarantees” the rights of both Afghan men and women.
The two-day summit, focusing on girls’ education within Muslim communities, will take place in Islamabad on Saturday and Sunday. It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and will include ministers, ambassadors from 44 countries, and representatives from the UN and World Bank.
The summit aims to reaffirm the Muslim community’s commitment to empowering girls through education, according to a government statement.
Yousafzai gained global recognition after surviving the 2012 attack by Pakistani Taliban militants on a school bus in the Swat Valley, near the Afghan border.
