“Girl Scouts of the USA congratulates sixteen
year-old Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, who survived an assassination attempt by
the Taliban after daring to speak out for the education of girls, for being the
first girl to ever be in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize,” said Anna
Maria Chávez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. “We recognize Malala as an
Honorary Girl Scout, as she has made the world a better place through her
remarkable courage, confidence, and character. Today not only marks an historic
milestone for girls in the world, it is also International Day of the Girl, and regardless of the ultimate
decision of the Nobel Committee, Malala has changed lives and opened eyes
across the globe.”
On October 9,
2012, Yousafzai was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by
Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. In the days immediately
following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition, but
later her condition improved enough for her to be sent to the Queen Elizabeth
Hospital in Birmingham, England for intensive rehabilitation.
In the April
2013 issue of Time magazine, Yousafzai was featured on the magazine's front
cover and as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World".
She was the winner of Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize and was
nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize. On 12 July 2013, Yousafzai spoke at
the UN to call for worldwide access to education, and in September 2013 she
officially opened the Library of Birmingham. Yousafzai is the recipient of the
Sakharov Prize for 2013.