Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistan-born advocate for girls' education and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She co-founded Malala Fund and is identified by the organization as its executive chair, continuing a public career focused on access to education for girls and the rights of children and young people.

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About Malala Yousafzai

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Advocate for girls' education

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Known for: Girls' education; Children's right to education

Advocate for girls' education

At a glance

Yousafzai shared the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with Kailash Satyarthi and became the youngest person to receive the award.
Her advocacy began during childhood, including anonymous blogging for BBC Urdu about life under Taliban control in Pakistan's Swat Valley.
She co-founded Malala Fund in 2013 and is identified by the organization as its executive chair.
In 2017, the United Nations designated her a Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girls' education.

Early life and advocacy

Born on 12 July 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan, Yousafzai began speaking publicly about girls' education while still a child. In 2009, she anonymously blogged for BBC Urdu about life under Taliban control in the Swat Valley. On 9 October 2012, she was shot by a Taliban gunman while travelling home from school; she survived and continued her advocacy.

Global public role

Yousafzai addressed the UN Youth Assembly on her 16th birthday in July 2013 and co-founded Malala Fund with Ziauddin Yousafzai that year. In 2014, she and Kailash Satyarthi received the Nobel Peace Prize for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. She was 17, making her the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Leadership and education

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres designated Yousafzai a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girls' education on 10 April 2017. She later graduated from Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, after studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics. As of 22 August 2026, Malala Fund's board and media materials identify her as the organization's co-founder and executive chair.

Timeline

2009 Began anonymously blogging for BBC Urdu about life under Taliban control in the Swat Valley and advocating for girls' education.
2012-10-09 Was shot while travelling home from school in the Swat Valley and survived the attack.
2013-07-12 Addressed the UN Youth Assembly on her 16th birthday at an event associated with Malala Day and global education advocacy.
2013 Co-founded Malala Fund with Ziauddin Yousafzai.
2014-10-10 The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that she and Kailash Satyarthi would receive the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.
2017-04-10 Was designated a United Nations Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girls' education.
2020 Graduated from Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, after studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Additional verified details

Current context

Malala Fund's board and media materials identify Malala Yousafzai as its co-founder and executive chair. This current role is reported by Malala Fund and corroborated across its board and media-kit pages.

Biographical facts

Malala Yousafzai was born on 12 July 1997 in Mingora, Pakistan.
She survived a Taliban gunman's attack on 9 October 2012 while travelling home from school in Pakistan's Swat Valley.
She received the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize at age 17, becoming its youngest laureate.
She studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, and graduated in 2020.

Connections

Affiliations

Affiliations associated with Malala Yousafzai.

Malala Fund Co-founder and executive chair 2013–present

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