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Malala Day: 7 must-know facts about the youngest Nobel prize winner

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 10 February 2017, 1:49 IST

Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai, who is an inspiration to millions, has turned 19 on 12 July. The global spokesperson for girls' education was targetted by the Taliban in October 2012 for pursuing her education. She was shot in head and fortunately survived what could have been a fatal injury.

To honour her bravery, 12 July was declared 'Malala Day' worldwide by the United Nations in 2013.

Here are some must-know facts about Malala Yousafzai:

- Malala used to blog about life under Taliban rule for the BBC in 2009. She began writing the blog when she was just 11 and used a pseudonym.

- Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her fight for children and women's right to education. She was 17 when she was accorded the prestigious award after which she became the youngest person ever to receive the honour.

- She was the first Pakistani citizen to have won the Nobel prize.

- The teenager has co-founded the Malala Fund. The fund aims at investing in early stage girls' education initiatives in countries like Nigeria, Pakistan, Kenya and Jordan.

- Malala had given a speech at the United Nations Youth Conference in New York on her 16th birthday.

- Pakistan created the Right to Education Bill after Malala was attacked.

- Malala won Pakistan's National Youth Peace Prize in 2011, which was later renamed the National Malala Peace Prize.

First published: 12 July 2016, 3:21 IST