The Value of Rights by Sarah

The Value of Rights by Sarah - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

I recommend the book, I Am Malala, by Malala Yousafvai, to all high school students because it expands knowledge of the Muslim culture and more importantly, teaches us to be more appreciative of our own freedom and basic rights. In this autobiography, Malala writes about events in her life, including how many of her rights were taken away from her, and also teaches an important lesson of following your dreams. As a young girl growing up in Pakistan, she describes the horrors of the Taliban from her point of view. She talks about life under their control, with no freedom and constant danger. She also discusses how she and her father fought back. They rebelled against the Taliban not with weapons, but using the power of their words. They spoke up for their rights and urged others to do the same. The topic Malala was most passionate about, was the right for girls to be able to go to school. When the Taliban took everything away from her, Malala learned the true value of her rights.

Malala tells about how, as a girl in Pakistan, she is already denied basic rights. Even before Taliban took control, women were inferior to men. This was just part of the Pashtun tradition. The main purposes of women were to take care of the household, prepare food for the men, to give birth and to watch over the children. It was uncommon for women to have jobs, and they were not allowed to own property. Marriages were usually arranged by families, so women were not allowed to choose husbands either. Malala writes that in their culture, boys are celebrated but girls are not. “For most Pashtuns it's a gloomy day when a daughter is born” (Malala 13). Malala grew up with having more freedom than many other young girls in Pakistan, and when the Taliban came and took everything away, she then realized how lucky she was.

When the Taliban took over Pakistan, women lost even more rights. They were unable to go out into the street alone, and had to be accompanied by a male relative everywhere they went. They were required to wear a burqa when out in public, which hid their entire body and face. They could no longer sing or dance and they couldn't even speak to men that were not related to them. They were forced to lead private lives, which was known as purdah. Women that were caught without burqas, or disobeyed any of the new rules, often faced terrible consequences. Men that were disloyal to the Taliban or seen as un-Islamic, were beaten or killed. The Taliban also forbade girls from getting an education, and many schools were bombed. As Malala said later on, “today we all know education is our basic right” (Malala 311). But the Taliban had taken it away. However Malala did not cover her face when going outside like the other girls did. She spoke out against the Taliban, and she continued to go to school. Through all of this, she had her father to support her. He too resisted the Taliban rule and continually spoke out against them. Malala idolized her father because he helped defend her basic rights and encouraged her to do the same.

One way that Malala is different from other girls in Pakistan, is that her family always supported her and encouraged her to speak up for her rights. They told her to follow her dreams and stand up for her beliefs. And she did. She spoke out every opportunity she got. She gave speeches in contests and also interviews for news channels. She even did a documentary about life under Taliban rule and became known throughout her country and all over the world. She spoke for women's rights and peace, but mostly for education. Since she basically grew up in a school, this was something that was very special to her. However, education became even more treasured when the Taliban took away that right. “Though we loved school, we hadn't realized how important education was until the Taliban tried to stop us. Going to school, reading and doing our homework wasn't just a way of passing time, it was our future” (Malala 146). Malala believes strongly in the right to education for all children. She wants everyone to be able to have the choice to go to school. And even though she was shot, the Taliban could not stop her from following this dream.

Malala teaches us two important lessons: to stand up for our rights and follow our dreams. She does both as she fights for education for children all over the world. The Taliban took a lot from her and her people but they could not take away her voice and her strong will. “The Taliban are not our rulers. It's my life; how I live it is my choice” (Malala 311). Malala writes that there are fifty-seven million children around the world that are unable to go to even a primary school. They do not have the simple right of education. As for us, we are truly lucky with what we have. We should learn to be more appreciative of the freedom and rights that we have, even the simple things, because if they were suddenly taken away from us, only then would we realize how valuable they are.