I had 2 choices, be silent and get killed, or speak up and be killed, I chose the second option.

I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it is not. It is the story of many girls.

I want world leaders to choose books over bullets...We can afford to give every girl 12 years of free education. It is absolutely in our power, and when we do, we will realize a whole new world of possibility.

Instead of sending guns, send books. Instead of sending weapons, send teachers.

I want to just stay focused on my mission. That is to see every girl get the right to education. And I think this is such an important thing that girls get their right to go to school, and we are losing the potential that these young girls have in this region, like Iraq.

We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.

I don't want to be remembered as the girl who was shot. I want to be remembered as the girl who stood up.