Malala

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Pakistani activist for girls' education known for her bravery and advocacy against Taliban oppression
2. A prominent figure in the fight for women's rights, recognized for surviving an assassination attempt for her beliefs
3. A Nobel Prize laureate celebrated for her global influence in promoting access to education for all children, especially girls

Etymology: Malala Yousafzai was named after Malalai of Maiwand, a Pashtun woman honoured in Afghan tradition for her role in the Battle of Maiwand, a clash during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. According to the popular story, when the standard-bearer fell, Malalai raised the flag herself and urged the fighters on with a line of poetry. The tale is legend rather than documented fact, but it explains why her name carried such meaning. Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, chose the name in admiration of that courage. Malala later took the name into a very different struggle. After she campaigned publicly for girls' schooling in the Swat Valley, she was shot by the Taliban, survived, and became the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Her name has since become shorthand for a champion of education, especially for girls.

Synonyms: Malala Yousafzai