Congratulating and honoring Malala Yousafzai, recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.

Whereas the Nobel Peace Prize is an international award administered by the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden; Whereas the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded for outstanding achievements in peace since 1901; Whereas the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a group of five members appointed by the Storting, the Norwegian Parliament, in Oslo, Norway, to recognize individuals who have done the most or best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses Whereas the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Malala Yousafzai, a 17-year-old Pakistani woman, for her courageous and tireless efforts to advance gender equality in education; Whereas Ms. Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel laureate in history, began championing girls’ education at only 11 years old and her advocacy has been the subject of many documentaries and media reports; Whereas Ms. Yousafzai has become a leading advocate for equal access to education after a Taliban edict banning girls’ education in her home region of Swat Valley in Pakistan prompted militants to destroy hundreds of schools; Whereas Ms. Yousafzai survived a brutal assassination attempt while on her way to school by Taliban gunmen in 2012 in response to her outspoken campaign for the right to education for female students; Whereas Ms. Yousafzai demonstrated incredible bravery by emerging more determined to fight for the cause of education equality for female students after the assassination attempt; Whereas, currently, an estimated 13 million school age girls are deprived of an education in Pakistan; Whereas, to date, Pakistani girls’ schools continue to be targeted by militants, including through bombings and threats to teachers; and Whereas Ms. Yousafzai’s courageous campaign for equal education represents a critically important effort in making the world a more peaceful place: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) congratulates Malala Yousafzai on receiving the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded for her outstanding achievements; (2) honors Malala Yousafzai for her contribution to global education equality and the promotion of peace; (3) states that in honoring Malala Yousafzai, it also honors those who have promoted education equality including those individuals who continue to champion the fundamental right of all children to a peaceful education in Pakistan and elsewhere; and (4) emphasizes that violations of human rights in general, and the persecution of children specifically, are matters of legitimate concern to all nations.

Summary: Congratulates and honors Malala Yousafzai on receiving the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to global education equality and the promotion of peace. States that in honoring Malala Yousafzai the House of Representatives honors those who have promoted education equality, including those individuals who continue to champion the right of all children to a peaceful education in Pakistan and elsewhere. Emphasizes that violations of human rights in general, and the persecution of children specifically, are matters of legitimate concern to all nations.