NEW YORK: Youngest Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai is to become the youngest messenger of peace for the United Nations, the organization’s chief said on Friday.
Malala, who is 19, will be appointed by UN Secretary Atonio Guterres, and will help promote girls’ education around the world.
Yousafzai came into prominence when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on her school bus in 2012 as punishment for campaigning for girls’ education rights after the militants put a ban on their education.
Malala has since been active in her campaigning and became the youngest Nobel Prize winner in 2014.
“Even in the face of grave danger, Malala Yousafzai has shown an unwavering commitment to the rights of women, girls and all people,” said Guterres.
He added, “Her courageous activism for girls´ education has already energised so many people around the world. Now as our youngest-ever U.N. Messenger of Peace, Malala can do even more to help create a more just and peaceful world.”
Malala has set up the Malala Fund to help her cause and has also visited refugee camps in Rwanda and Kenya last year to highlight the plight of refugee girls.
