Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.

I think of it often and imagine the scene clearly. Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are trying to do is wrong, that education is our basic right.

We are human beings, and this is the part of our human nature, that we don't learn the importance of anything until it's snatched from our hands.

You know, my father was a great encouragement for me because he spoke out for women's rights, he spoke out for girl's education. And at that time I said that why should I wait for someone else, why should I be looking to the government, to the army that they would help us? Why don't I raise my voice, why don't we speak up for our rights?

I believe in the power of the voice of women.

If he [the Talib] comes, what would you do Malalala? If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there will be no difference between you and the Talib. You must not treat otherswith cruelty...you must fight others but through peace, through dialogue and through educationthen I'll tell him [the Talib] how important education is and that I even want education for your children as well that's what I want to tell you, now do what you want.

It is not time to tell the leaders to realize how important education is - they already know it - their own children are in good schools. Now it is time to call them to take action.