Malala Yousafzai

At the start of IB Psychology Course you read about Malala Yousafzai who in 2012 survived a terrorist attack. As you recall, she was not intimidated and has since worked tirelessly to support international efforts to educate girls. In December 2014, Malala accepted the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize; it’s youngest ever winner.

You were asked to think about how psychologists could explain why Malala challenged powerful people who opposed her beliefs on education.

This article, Malala Yousafzai’s father on feminisms, parenting and the fight for equality, sheds further light into how the role of culture and family is shaping Malala’s development.

Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala’s father, describes his upbringing in 1970s Pakistan as “very patriarchal” and recounts receiving the lion’s share of food and clothing. He had access to an education that was denied his five sisters. From a young age, he imagined a different future for his own family and that was realised in the role his daughter now plays on the world stage.

Malala recently returned to Pakistan which she found an emotional experience. You can watch her speech here.