Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai arrived in Pakistan on January 11, 2025, for a two-day international conference on girls’ education in Islamabad, marking her third visit to the country.
“I’m truly honored, overwhelmed, and happy to be back in Pakistan,” Malala expressed upon her arrival. The education activist, who survived an attack by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in 2012, has only returned to the country a few times since then.
The summit, which focuses on “Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities,” brings together representatives from Muslim-majority nations, many of which face significant challenges in educating girls. During the conference, Malala is set to address attendees, speaking on the importance of protecting girls’ right to education and calling on world leaders to hold the Taliban accountable for their actions against Afghan women and girls.
Malala shared her message on social media, stating, “I will speak about protecting rights for all girls to go to school, and why leaders must hold the Taliban accountable for their crimes against Afghan women and girls.”
While the Taliban government in Afghanistan was invited to the summit, Pakistan has yet to receive a response. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghanistan remains the only country where girls and women are banned from attending school and university.
Pakistan, where over 26 million children are out of school—largely due to poverty—also faces a severe education crisis.
Malala first became internationally known after surviving the 2012 attack by the TTP while traveling to school in Swat. She was evacuated to the United Kingdom and went on to become a leading advocate for girls’ education. At 17, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming its youngest-ever recipient.
Her last visit to Pakistan was in 2022, when she toured flood-affected areas to raise global awareness about the climate crisis. Her first visit was in 2018, five years after the TTP attack.
