IT has taken a little girl an enormous amount of courage, and a bullet in the bargain, to stir the collective conscience of a nation and raise momentum for girls’ education. The world was appalled with the shooting of 14-year-old Malala Yousufzai, who defied the diktat of the Taliban in Pakistan’s serene and picturesque town of Mingora in the Swat valley, and campaigned for education rights for girls. Today, the brave activist is recovering from her ordeal while world leaders have condemned the barbaric attack…. While the Pakistani nation has stood up to defend Malala, the broader question that arises is: will the momentum generated in the cause of girls’ education by this teenager gather steam in that country?

Even as voices are being raised against extremists who oppose Western-style education for women, many people feel that greater awareness of the importance of women’s education needs to be created in areas … where tribal influence prevails.

Besides, mainstream political parties, local leaders and leading academicians should also campaign for the spread of education in those areas. Malala has emerged as a flag-bearer for girls’ education in Pakistan, and the wide support for her among sections of Pakistani society indicates that girls have a right to education, and they should exercise that right, no matter what. Those who fear that educating a girl is, in fact, liberating her have to realise that the youth are the future builders of the nation in an Internet-linked world where knowledge is the password. It’s a shame if this nation-building process is allowed to be weakened or threatened by horrific incidents like the shooting of the teenaged activist by extremists. As Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf pointed out after visiting Malala in hospital:

“It was not a crime against an individual but a crime against humanity and an attack on our national and social values.”—(Oct 16)