The recent shooting of Malala Yousafzai by the Taliban has brought the violent group into the global spotlight. The world was shocked after learning of the tragic shooting that left the girl barely alive. As she clings to life in a hospital, the world is responding with “I am Malala” t-shirts, protests, and extreme criticism of the Taliban’s dogma and violence.
Children who are born without the guarantee of an education will spend a lifetime without possibilities, something that Malala was fighting against. According to Britain’s former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, “15 million children under 14, who should be at school, are working full time around the world. Every year, ten million girls leave education to become child brides and never return to school. Millions more are trafficked.”
The fact that so many millions of children are not in school shows just how far the 2015 UN Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education is from becoming a reality in just three years. In fact, according to former Prime Minister Brown, “By current global trends, education for all will be a distant dream until at least 2064.”
Greater financial aid given to developing countries can help make a positive difference. Individuals can help by giving money or even textbooks and other school supplies. In addition, working alongside politicians to promote more effective policies could be equally important. Find out more information here.
Creative Commons Love: Eustaquio Santimano on Flickr.com
Written by Jana Melpolder