Malala Yousafzai - Fighting for Children's Rights

Malala Yousafzai: Portrait of the Girl Blogger

Malala Yousafzai is a 15 year old Pakistani girl recovering from an attack by the Taliban.  In 2009, she began writing a blog for the BBC Urdu under the pen name Gul Makai.  Her blog discussed how the Taliban's rule to ban girls from attending school was affecting her and her schoolmates, believing it is every girl's right to receive an education.  Tragically, Malala was shot by the Taliban for her defiance against them.  Although she lived through the event, she is still in critical condition.  The New York Times reported that a Taliban spokesman said her crusade for education rights is an "obscenity" and if she survives, "the militants will certainly try to kill her again."

Who are YOU?

Alice, while in Wonderland, is presented with the question, "Who are YOU?" by the Caterpillar. A simple question, yet most challenging to answer. Understandably, Alice is stumped. Stammering, she replies, “rather shyly, ‘I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.’”  Life presents us with many factors that shape the person we are today and the person we may become in the future. One day we are confident and feel we can accomplish anything, and the next day we are uncertain of our capabilities. Young adults, in particular, struggle with who they are and where they belong, as the world is changing as fast as they are. In fact, it may seem as though they are falling down a rabbit hole only to find themselves in a strange world. Becoming aware of the factors that surround you may help you shape the person you want to become, helping you to crawl out of the rabbit hole and answer the Caterpillar’s question, “Who are YOU?” 

Many young adults around the world, have made sense of their world, realized their potential, and have become giving, global citizens. The International Children's Peace Prize organization presents an annual award “to a child, whose courageous or otherwise remarkable acts have made a difference in countering problems, which affect children around the world.”  These young adults, because of the factors that surrounded them (good and/or bad), fought to not only make their life better, but also the lives of other children. If asked, “Who are you?”, they can proudly respond, "I am someone who fights to make a difference."

This year, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Desmond Tutu, presented the International Peace Prize 2012 to a 13 year old boy named  Kesz.  As a result of the factors that impacted Kesz’s life; “abused and forced to scavenge dumpsites at the age of two”, he is fighting to improve the rights of street children in the Philippines “where more than 246,000 street children are subjected to abuse, violence and child labour.” See video below that shares Kesz’s personal identity journey:

Kesz is not alone; read about other exceptional award winning recipients from 2005 to 2011 on the Children’s Peace Prize website.  Consider the factors that shaped these youths’ lives and their goal to fight to make a difference in the world.

Love and Tough Words

I am from free love and hippies and a tie-dyed frenzy

Spray painted silver boots with tight permed hair,

always right, never to be argued with.

White shirt, cuffed with gold, with tie and suit,

always home late, ready to be played with.

Head-aching pigtails tied tightly in ribbons,

Immaculately dressed with black buckled shoes,

always polished but scuffed away at the toes

Always yes please, you’re welcome and thank you for asking,

‘Remember your manners and look at me when I'm talking to you!’

I am from unemployment, redundancy, closures and strikes

Riots and coal mines and Thatcher 

‘Milk snatcher’!

Powercuts , anger and cold housing estates

Fake leather couches stuck to your legs

Two orange bars glowing, heat enough?

Fuzzy images flickering on a just colour TV

The Magic Roundabout, The Clangers and John Pertwee,

The third doctor with daleks , K9 and his tardis

‘Too much of that will make your eyes go square – get out and play!’

I am from cold and slate grey - drizzle seeping through tarmac

Face slapped red by the wind, nose always running

Scarf, mittens, pulled up hood on a nylon anorak,

damp, not warm, torn by branches and barb wire.

Hours of freedom with friends and stolen jelly cubes,

Exploring and venturing far from home.

Made-up games, great ideas and adventures abound,

turned wrong and in hot water

‘Did you do that? Wait til your father gets home!’

I am from work hard, play hard and Friday pay packets

Shipbuilders, mechanics, at the pub and in the bookies

strong-armed men; pints cigarettes and jokes

Home-makers, story-tellers, songs round the table

stronger willed women; biscuits, tea and forboding

Air raids and bombings and the Clydebank Blitz

A feuding, fun-loving family, quick to tell you how
Criticize within but always as one to the rest

I am from progress and hopes and dreams of the better.

‘I love you and always let those you do know.’

                                             On the Clyde
                                             John Atkinson Grimshaw

Soccer Sanctum

CNN Hero Mark Kabban pays his positive attitude forward helping refugee children adapt to life in the United States. CNN's article, "Soccer helping young refugees find footing in the US" interviews Mark Kabban about his work with children whose rights are at risk. As a refugee cas manager, Kabban has witnessed many children struggle to adapt to American culture. Although Kabban was not an official refugee himself, his family left Beirut during Lebanon's civil war. His family moved to San Diego when he was 9, so Kabban understands what the children are experiencing, "You lose a lot of your dignity when you become a refugee. You have to flee your country, depend on others. You lose your self-esteem." 

YALLA (Youth And Leaders Living Actively), the non-profit program was started in 2009 by Kabban in the San Diego area.  The program's intent is to help support young refugees by offering free soccer training as well a tuition to 200 boys and girls. When the children arrive in the United States, Kabban states, because of their experience"...they're years behind in education, and they're years behind in a different language, so the need is just immense. We're working to get them literate in English, getting them ... caught up." Kabban dedicates his time and energy into helping these children build relationships, confidence and 'can do' attitudes in a healthy and fun environment.  He is indeed a hero.

Roots and Shoots

The Power of Youth is Global

"Roots creep underground everywhere and make a firm foundation. Shoots seem very weak, but to reach the light, they can break open brick walls. Imagine that the brick walls are all the problems we have inflicted on our planet. Hundreds of thousands of roots & shoots, hundreds of thousands of young people around the world, can break through these walls. We CAN change the world."  Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall challenges you to change the world.  Visit the Roots and Shoots website to learn more about how you can get involved.  Perhaps, you might even be the first student to bring the Roots and Shoots organization to the ISKL campus.  The environment is worth fighting for.  Animals are worth fighting for.  Our planet is worth fighting for.

Young Global Eco-Superhero

Inspired by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Wangari Maathai from Kenya, who received the award for her Green Belt Movement in which over 45 million trees were planted to help stop soil erosion, Felix Finkbeiner begin fighting against climate change at the young age of nine.  Now thirteen, Felix is kept busy with his his organisation, Plant for the Planet. 

The Telegraph  news article, "13 year old has the world planting trees," discusses Felix's passion for the environment and his journey to fight for significant environmental changes to ensure future generations that our planet will be a healthy one.  Read the Telegraph article and watch Felix's address to the UN below to form a clear picture of this eco-superhero. Perhaps Felix will inspire one of you to fight for change.

International Children's Peace Prize

There is an age old adage that claims, "Children should be seen and not heard" because many believe that children are not capable of wise words or acts.  The International Children's Peace Prize organization disagrees.  In fact, the main purpose of the organization is to acknowledge "an exceptional child, whose courageous or otherwise remarkable acts and thoughts have made a difference in countering problems, which affect children around the world." Mikhail Gorbachev presented the first prize during the Nobel Peace Laureates' Summit in 2005. Since then, the International Children’s Peace Prize Laureate is selected annually from nominations all over the world.


Michaela Mycroft was the 2011 winner of the International Children's Peace Prize for her commitment to the rights of disabled children in South Africa.  See video below of Michaela receiving her award:

Read about award winning recipients from 2005 to 2011 on the website.  Consider the traits these youths share that allowed them to fight to make a difference in the world. 

2011 ~ Cause for Reflection

Happy 2012!

It is customary to reflect on past events when a new year is launched. The United Nations reviews a series of events/issues from 2011 that cause one to consider What is worth fighting for in 2012?:

"Earth's 7 billionth resident was born into a world of contradiction and change." The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon comments, "Seven billion now look to us, the world’s leaders. They need solutions. They demand leadership. They want us to act; saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth..."

Watch the video.  What issues do you feel need urgent action?