Does Malala Yousafzai deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?

Does Malala Yousafzai deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?

While Malala Yousafzai rose to become an inspiration for Muslims around the world, her own country observes Anti-Malala Day. This is not the first time when Pakistan proved that it is a fervent supporter of the terrorists group and anyone raising a voice to express the oppression they shall be condemned with false allegations. Her book “I am Malala” is being banned in her own home country just because the girl was brave enough to openly criticize the government for “giving shelter to terrorists.” Protestors are of the view that Malala does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. Perhaps these people might be glad enough if the prize was awarded to Bin-Laden while he was still alive.

Yes, Malala deserves the Nobel Peace Prize:

1. Malala rightly deserves this award for being the international icon of resistance, women's empowerment and right to education. She showed immense bravery by fighting and continuing to speak for the good cause even after numerous threats from the extremists. She represents the voice of thousands of girls in the Taliban dominated regions who are denied the basic right to education. Where even men and government officer fear of getting killed if they do against the bidding of the extremists, this teenage girl refused to be silent.

2. We hear of Pakistan and the first thing we think of is terrorism. Malala’s views and ideologies clearly show that not everyone in the country shares the views of the Taliban. This teenage girl went ahead to represent a large section of the extremists dominated regions crying for help and to get liberated from the grip of fear and oppression.

3. There have been reports where people of Pakistan claimed that Malala has done nothing for uplifting the conditions of girls like her in her homeland and hence she does not deserve the Nobel Prize for fighting for the rights of education for girls. The allegations that instead of returning back to her country and continuing the fight, Malala chose to enjoy the celebrity life of speaking at international conferences, living in Birmingham and receiving the best of education. Would any sane person return to the place where she was shot in the head, knowing that she would be attacked again if she goes back? She is a teenage girl and she has every right to live peacefully and receive the education she dreamt of without risking her life any further. What she can do is promote her ideology for the right to education and let the whole world know that amid all the extremism, there are innocents suffering the consequences.

4. Malala is a hope for millions under the oppression of extremism and she has yet to show to the world that she could bring a change in the lives of those under treachery. Even when Barrack Obama was given the Nobel Peace Prize, it was just for the hope he showed for a better future and a better rule. Malala too shows the same promise in her stance and she rightly deserves being honored for her courage and activism in the field of right to education for girls.

5. What has she done for the world? – is a far big statement given the short period of time in which she ascended from a small town girl speaking for the rights of girls in a Taliban dominated regions to speaking at the United Nations with impressive stances. No one could have done anything more than that in such a short time. The protesters should rather ask themselves what they would have done stepping in her shoes. Perhaps most of us would have hidden ourselves behind doors for the fear of being killed right after the first piece of threat.

6. Spreading awareness in the Western World that the political games have consequences being faced by the innocent people of the oppressed countries which are often looked down upon as the home of terrorists. The life and living of innocent people in those regions are more often ignored when media talks of these regions. She has gone far ahead in changing the vision of the world for the people of her country. These actions usually take time for bearing results and it is too early to state that she has done nothing for her people.

No, she does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize:

1. So much to expect from a little girl taking her chemistry and Physics lessons at school? Great things are done not overnight but after years of hard work and devotion. Malala has a lot to achieve, a long way to go before she could realize what she wants to do to bring a change other than spreading awareness. I do respect her in every way a brave girl as her should be respected but the Nobel Peace Prize was to be given only after she had achieved something worth bringing a change to the live of women in her homeland.

2. Nobel Prize winner has a criterion to meet. Nobel wrote in his will that this prize should be awarded to those who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” So theoretically the committee could have waited a few more years before giving out the award of encouragement. Yes, that’s exactly what it could be called.

Conclusion:

Despite all the criticism and allegations by the people she called her own, Malala is not looking back and there is no stopping his brave girl for what she is determined to do. It can be said that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Malala before her efforts could bear fruits but it would be completely wrong to say that she did not deserve it. She deserves it more than anyone in the past has.