Peshawar: Pakistani teenage activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai today asked school children in her country to fight for their rights to get education.
The 17-year-old activist was addressing Malala Nobel Peace Prize celebration event organised by Mian Raashid Shaheed Foundation via video-link at Nishtar Hall here.
"I want to see every girl getting her due respect and we need to raise our voice for it, we need to raise our voice for women's rights, especially for the education of children, and the children should stand and struggle for their future," she said.
Malala said: "to bring change in our society, requires immense struggle."
She told participants that women were deprived of their rights, adding that times have changed and women know what their rights are.
"For a society to prosper, its women must be educated," she said. She reiterated her dream, that every child should have a book and pen.
"In order to spread the message of education we all must work together," she said.
Addressing the ceremony, General Secretary Awami National Party Mian Iftikhar Hussain said, that his people are not scared of danger, and they know how to defend themselves.
He said, if Malala is being appreciated across the world, it is a matter of pride for Pakistan.
Hussain said, through education, Malala's mission of a peaceful Pakistan can be achieved. He concluded that he will fight to fulfill Malala's mission till his last breath.
Malala stated that women should get their rights as they had been deprived of them since last 100 years.
Malala hails from the restive northwestern region of Swat which was controlled by Taliban when army launched operation in 2009 to dislodge them.
Despite getting several prestigious international awards, Pakistanis are divided over her legacy with many blaming them she was being used by the West.
A group of Pakistan private schools earlier this month observed "I am not Malala" day to distance from the Nobel laureate.
Malala was shot in the head by Taliban insurgents two years ago after she spoke out against them for opposing girls' education.
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