Girl Scouts CEO Anna Maria Chávez Honors Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan

“Girl Scouts of the USA congratulates sixteen year-old Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban after daring to speak out for the education of girls, for being the first girl to ever be in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize,” said Anna Maria Chávez, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. “We recognize Malala as an Honorary Girl Scout, as she has made the world a better place through her remarkable courage, confidence, and character. Today not only marks an historic milestone for girls in the world, it is also International Day of the Girl, and regardless of the ultimate decision of the Nobel Committee, Malala has changed lives and opened eyes across the globe.”

On October 9, 2012, Yousafzai was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. In the days immediately following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition, but later her condition improved enough for her to be sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England for intensive rehabilitation.

In the April 2013 issue of Time magazine, Yousafzai was featured on the magazine's front cover and as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World". She was the winner of Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize and was nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize. On 12 July 2013, Yousafzai spoke at the UN to call for worldwide access to education, and in September 2013 she officially opened the Library of Birmingham. Yousafzai is the recipient of the Sakharov Prize for 2013.