Malala

Seventeen-year-old Malala Yousafzai becomes the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner for her work in furthering education for children.

> A WORLD AT SCHOOL

> Millennium Development Goals

Questions:

1. Who is Malala Yousafzai?
2. What is the Nobel Peace Prize (list the people you know who have won it)?
3. Why has Malala been awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize?
4. Do you think such a young person should have won this very prestigious prize?
5. What does the charity A WORLD AT SCHOOL do (what does it have to do with Malala)?
6. What are the Millennium Development Goals?
7. Which of the Millennium Development Goals are Malala and A WORLD AT SCHOOL trying to reach?
8. Do you think these two goals will be achieved (why/not)?
9. How can YOU contribute to the actions of A WORLD AT SCHOOL?
10. Who do you think should win next year's Nobel Peace Prize?

The teacher's answers:

1. She is a 17-year-old Pakistani Muslim human rights activist.

2. It is a prestigious annual international award given to people or organizations that have contributed in an outstanding way to peace in the world (winners include: Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa, and MSF).

3. Because of her courageous fight for universal primary education (especially for girls); she was shot in the head on her way to school by the Taliban. After she recovered, she continued to be an advocate for children’s rights (she spoke to the General Assembly of the United Nations).

4. Yes, because she has done more in her short life to help others than most have in their entire lives! She has shown that young people can make a difference to people’s lives.

5. It promotes education for all children in the world (58 million children still do not go to school); Malala gave a speech to the United Nations General Assembly during the “Youth Takeover” of the UN organized by A WORLD AT SCHOOL in July 2013.

6. Eight United Nations international development objectives launched in 2000, to be achieved by the end of 2015:

• eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• achieve universal primary education
• promote gender equality and empower women
• reduce child mortality
• improve maternal health
• combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
• ensure environmental sustainability
• develop a global partnership for development

7. Gender equality and universal primary education.

8. No, because education and girls’ (women’s) rights are not a priority in most countries, especially poor countries or countries with intolerant political regimes or religions.

9. I can sign their petition, and, among other things, become a Global Youth Ambassador.

10. School Students Against War