Being shot in the face and seriously injured did not stop Malala Yousafzai from pursuing her dreams. She morally disagreed with her government's treatment of women, so she fought for her beliefs. Malala grew up in a rural village in Pakistan and was forced to follow customs she didn't believe in. The Swat valley has turned into a strictly governed village with discrimination against women. Malala raised awareness of the situation and defended her right to education. Through Malala Yousafzai's painful experience growing up in a dangerous area of ​​Pakistan, she created awareness in hopes of regaining the right to educational opportunities for women. Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997. She lived in the Swat Valley in Mingora, Pakistan. (http://www.biography.com) Pakistan is located on the Arabian Sea in South Asia. Malala attended Khushal School for Girls, founded by her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai. Malala's father was her greatest inspiration in becoming an activist for women's and children's rights in the future. (Malala's dream: a courageous teenager from Pakistan…) The Swat Valley was not always as it is now. Before it was a “picturesque”. It was not only a popular honeymoon destination, but the Swat Valley was known for its music and tolerance towards its people. (The Taliban girl who hit the girl who defended women's rights) But in 2007 everything changed. The Swat valley has been hit by the Taliban's harsh new rules. It has become a dangerous and overwhelming place to be. Television and music were banned for everyone and women fared worse. They could no longer hold a job, go to school and enjoy shopping. (Malala's dream: a courageous teenager from Pakistan…) The women were isolated. Ziauddin Yousafzai's girls' school was one of the... halfway places... leaving Malala with no choice but to stand up for her beliefs. This left her in hospital with higher expectations for herself in the future. The Taliban also continue to have their impact, endangering many innocent people. But even today Malala speaks openly against the Taliban and underlines her and every woman's rights and opportunities. Works Cited Bubar, Joe. "Malala's Dream: A courageous Pakistani teenager nearly lost her life defending the right of girls around the world to receive an education." Sholastic News/Weekly Reader Edition 4 November 18, 2013: 4+ Student Edition Web. April 10, 2014. "Taliban girl kills girl who defends rights." New York Times. NP, October 9, 2012. Web. April 10, 2014."Malala Yousafzai." 2014. The Biography.com website. April 24, 2014. http://www.biography.com/people/malala-yousafzai-21362253.Yousafzai, Malala. speech. July 12th 2013