Malala, the well-known activist for the empowerment of women and the youngest Nobel Prize winner, was in Washington Sunday to take part in an event hosted by the Voice of America’s Deewa Radio and Television Service in cooperation with the Newseum.
Nafees Takar, who is in charge of Deewa’s programming for the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, said, “This is indeed an honor that Malala Yousafzai agreed [to spend] an evening with VOA Deewa. She spoke in detail on girls’ education and clearly said women’s empowerment would not be possible without education.”
Mr. Takar joined Malala Yousafzai on stage along with her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, and Deewa broadcaster Behroz Khan.
During an interview after the program, Malala told VOA, “If we deprive half of the population of the world and do not let them come forward then it will be really hard for us to go forward and achieve success in development—for every country’s development the full participation of both male and female is important.”
Malala answered questions from the audience, which included staff from Voice of America’s Deewa and Urdu services, and students from American University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins, George Mason and the Mclean School.
Georgetown University student Casey Bahr told VOA, “It’s wonderful to see somebody who is 18 and has done so much.”
VOA Deewa provides news and information to the critical Pakistan/Afghanistan border region, where more than 40 million Pashto-speaking Pakistanis and Afghans live. VOA Deewa reaches this critical region on radio, direct-to-home satellite, social media and the Internet.
The Newseum champions the five freedoms of the First Amendment through exhibits, public programs, and education. Visitors to the Newseum experience the stories of yesterday and today through the eyes of the media while celebrating the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment.
VOA’s report about the event can be found here.
