Thari girls honour Malala Yousafzai as educators renew call for equal access to education

The schoolgirls, teachers and education advocates gathered in Pakistan’s desert district of Tharparkar to mark World

MITHI : The schoolgirls, teachers and education advocates gathered in Pakistan’s desert district of Tharparkar to mark World Malala Day, celebrating Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai’s birthday while renewing calls for greater investment in girls’ education.

The event, organised by the Thar Education Alliance (TEA), brought together educators, local education officials and members of the organisation’s “Champions for Change” programme, which supports girls in becoming advocates for education within their communities.

Participants cut a birthday cake in honour of Malala Yousafzai and reflected on her contribution to advancing girls’ education, describing her as a global symbol of courage and the right to learn.

“Malala’s journey continues to inspire girls to believe that education can transform lives and communities,” Bharat Kumar, Programme Manager of the Thar Education Alliance, said during the event.

Female Taluka Education Officer Rabia Akbar, along with educators Padma Lodha, Heer Kumari and Fiza Hanif, said World Malala Day serves as a reminder that access to safe, equitable and quality education remains a fundamental right for every child, particularly girls living in underserved communities.

Observed annually on 12 July, World Malala Day commemorates Malala Yousafzai’s address to the United Nations Youth Assembly on her 16th birthday in 2013, where she urged world leaders to ensure every child has access to education. The day also recognises her global campaign for girls’ education after surviving an attack by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012 while travelling home from school. In 2014, she became the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Speakers noted that organisations supported by the Malala Fund continue to work in Tharparkar to expand educational opportunities for girls, helping improve access to schooling and strengthen girls’ leadership within their communities.

The event concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to ensuring that every girl, regardless of her background or location, has the opportunity to complete a quality education.