Human rights advocate Malala Yousafzai, who survived an attack by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012, argued Monday for stronger US support of Afghan girls and women during a visit to Washington.
“Afghanistan right now is the only country where girls do not have access to secondary education. They are prohibited from learning,” the 24-year-old, who works with female Afghan activists, noted in remarks standing alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“This is the message of Afghan girls right now: we want to see a world where all girls can have access to safe and quality education,” she added, while presenting a letter addressed to President Joe Biden from a 15-year-old Afghan girl named Sotodah.
Sotodah wrote in her letter that “the longer schools and universities remain closed to girls, the more it will shade hope for [their] future,” according to Yousafzai.
“Girls’ education is a powerful tool for bringing peace and security,” added Yousafzai, reading the letter, “If girls don’t learn, Afghanistan will suffer, too.”