Latest news with #MalalaYousafzai
Business Recorder
22-05-2025
- General
- Business Recorder
Development impact bonds: a possible solution to curb learning poverty in Pakistan
'One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.' Malala Yousafzai Education is a transformative force that empowers individuals, reduces social inequalities, combats poverty, and contributes to a more sustainable development. Given the significance of education for a nation, URAAN Pakistan has taken various initiatives to improve the educational indicators like education spending, net primary enrolment, completion rate, equitable accessibility to higher education and to improve literacy rate by 10 percent. URAAN Pakistan structured around the '5Es' framework is the foundation of the National Economic Transformation Plan (2024–2029). To make a brighter future for education in Pakistan possible, an evidence-based decision and policymaking is indispensable. Databases like District Education Performance Index (DEPIx, 2023) and the Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (LANA 2023) can serve the purpose. Data reveal that the challenge in Pakistan is not merely about getting children into schools, but ensuring students acquire meaningful and impactful learning in the classroom. The policy implementation heavily relies on input and activities rather than actual learning outcomes. The recent figures indicate that over 25.3 million children remain out-of-school, and 79 percent of students falls under learning poverty; a student unable to read and understand a basic sentence by the age of 10. The findings of the DEPIx report, developed by the Planning Commission, show a national average score of just 53.46, which places the country in the 'Low' performance category, across five domains in 134 districts. In parallel, the recent report of LANA conducted under the supervision of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), shows that Pakistan's average reading scores range between 318 and 343, with only 55 percent of students reaching the 'Basic International Benchmark' in reading. While, in mathematics, the average scores fall between 368 and 39, which is below the minimum international benchmark of 400. Only 1 percent of students achieve the high benchmark (550), while 71 percent scored only at the basic level (325). This indicates that more than half of the students fall below the 25th percentile, reflecting the urgency of addressing learning poverty. These findings in the education sector imply that achieving a desired learning outcomes is still a distant dream. In this context, there is an urgent need to shift from input focused policies and planning to an outcome driven approach. In this regard, one promising solution is the adoption of Development Impact Bonds (DIBs), a results-based financing mechanism that links funding to measurable outcomes rather than to inputs or activities. In a DIB model, private investors provide upfront capital to implement educational interventions, and governments or donors repay the investment only when an independent evaluator approves that the predefined learning outcomes have been achieved. This model has shown positive results in countries like India with the Educate Girls DIB, in the UK with the Education Outcomes Fund, and in the US with the 'Abt Associates' early childhood education, all improving educational outcomes than the traditional interventions. This model not only ensures accountability but also encourages innovation and efficiency in service delivery. Pakistan is well-positioned to pilot Impact Bonds in the education sector. Datasets sources such as DEPIx and LANA provide baseline data to set performance targets and evaluate progress. The districts performing poorly in learning outcomes, especially those in Sindh, Balochistan, and southern Punjab can be targeted for pilot interventions. Donor agencies such as the World Bank, USAID, and the Asian Development Bank, already engaged in Pakistan's education reform, can act as outcome funders, while NGOs and ed-tech providers may serve as implementing partners, working together to improve quality in education. In this regard, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, provincial departments, and planning bodies can realign their priorities to reflect the reality that learning is the most important goal of schooling. Moreover, education policy evaluation, which has historically been rare in Pakistan, should become a regular part of planning and budgeting cycles. In a nutshell, Pakistan's education emergency is not a crisis of ability but a crisis of governance, policy, and accountability. The findings from DEPIx and LANA are not only a wake-up call but also serve as a foundation for building a roadmap for educational improvement. They show us that while infrastructure and access have seen modest gains, but the real bottlenecks lie in the learning outcomes. Addressing these challenges requires more than progressive reforms. It demands a paradigm shift in how education is financed, delivered, and measured. Impact Bonds offer a potential solution, emphasizing accountability, data-driven decision-making, and a focus on tangible results. In a nation with millions of children lacking quality education, such innovation is not merely a choice—it is a necessity. (Muhammad Yasir Khan is an MPhil student, and Dr Anjeela Khurram is a lecturer at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE)) Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Malala calls on world leaders to end Israel's ‘genocide' in Gaza
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai urged on Wednesday world leaders to put maximum pressure on the Israeli government to end Israel's genocide in Gaza. 'It makes me sick to my stomach to see Israel's cruelty and brutality in Gaza,' she wrote on X. 'I am heartbroken seeing thousands of starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid and displaced families.' Her statement comes as Israel says it plans to intensify military operations against Hamas and to control the whole of Gaza, which has been devastated by an Israeli air and ground aggression against Palestinians. Israel has said its blockade is aimed in part at preventing Palestinian from diverting and seizing aid supplies. Hamas has denied doing so. On Tuesday, the United Nations said no aid has yet been distributed in the Gaza Strip, a day after Israel allowed limited humanitarian deliveries to resume after an 11-week blockade on the Palestinian enclave, where experts warn famine now looms. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said four trucks of baby food were dropped off on the Palestinian side of the border on Monday, and that a few dozen trucks of flour, medicine, nutrition supplies and other basic items entered Gaza on Tuesday. 'Israeli authorities are requiring us to offload supplies on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom crossing and reload them separately once they secure our team's access from inside the Gaza Strip,' Dujarric told reporters. 'Today, one of our teams waited several hours for the Israeli green light to access the Kerem Shalom area and collect the nutrition supplies. Unfortunately, they were not able to bring those supplies into our warehouse,' he said.
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
‘Heartbroken' Malala calls on world leaders to end Israel's ‘genocide' in Gaza
KARACHI: Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai on Wednesday said she was 'heartbroken' by starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid and displaced families in Gaza, calling on world leaders to push Israel to end its 'genocide' in the besieged enclave. Israel's ground and air offensive, launched in October 2023, has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents and killed more than 53,000, according to Gaza health authorities. Israeli strikes have killed more than 500 people in the past nine days alone as its military campaign has intensified, Gaza medics say. The war, now in its 20th month, has left Gaza in ruins and its population facing a worsening hunger crisis. It has strained Israel's relations with much of the world and those with its closest ally, the United States, now appear to be wavering. 'It makes me sick to my stomach to see Israel's cruelty and brutality in Gaza. I am heartbroken seeing thousands of starving children, demolished schools and hospitals, blocked humanitarian aid and displaced families,' Malala wrote on X. 'Our collective humanity calls for global and immediate action. I call on every world leader to put maximum pressure on the Israeli government to end this genocide and protect civilians.' Malala's statement came as Britain announced it was suspending trade talks with Israel and summoning its ambassador over 'egregious policies' in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament he, along with the leaders of France and Canada, was 'horrified' by Israel's military escalation, repeating calls for a ceasefire. The three nations had warned on Monday of 'concrete actions' against Israel if it did not stop military operations in Gaza and lift restrictions on aid. In addition to suspending trade talks, Britain announced sanctions against a number of individuals and groups in the Israeli-occupied West Bank over alleged violence against Palestinian residents. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has also asked for a review of the EU-Israel trade deal, according to Dutch news agency ANP. EU sanctions on violent Israeli settlers have been prepared but have so far been blocked by one member state, Kallas said, without naming the country. 'External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction,' Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein posted on X. The United Nations said no humanitarian aid had been distributed yet in Gaza, although Israel eased its 11-week-old blockade on Monday. 'Israeli authorities are requiring us to offload supplies on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom crossing and reload them separately once they secure our team's access from inside Gaza,' said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. He said four trucks of baby food were dropped off on the Palestinian side of the border on Monday, and that a few dozen trucks of flour, medicine, nutrition supplies and other basic items entered Gaza on Tuesday. Israel's military said 93 UN aid trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday via Kerem Shalom 'after a thorough security inspection.' – With inputs from Reuters
Vogue
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Emma Watson Returns to Cannes in Style
At the Nice Airport, Emma Watson is giving 'runway' a new meaning. The actor touched down in France during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where she used a classic spring outfit formula to put together her travel 'fit. On top, Watson wore a black cardigan with white buttons and a scalloped hem. But she gave her signature preppy style a South of France update with a periwinkle and white floral lace skirt. While she leans on the side of modesty, the hole-ridden lace offered a peek of skin—perfect for the warm weather. NICE, FRANCE - MAY 20: Emma Watson is seen at Nice Airport during the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2025 in Nice, France. (Photo by Andrea Cremascoli/GC Images) Andrea Cremascoli Watson added a pair of black ballerina flats with a block heel and a tie at the vamp from the Berlin-based brand Aeyde. She coordinated the rest of her accessories with her black cardigan, too, adding a leather crossbody bag and a pair of Wayfarer sunglasses. (In fact, the only other color in Watson's look came from her red manicure.) Watson hasn't been to Cannes since 2013, when she hit the Croisette for the premiere of Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring, and we haven't seen her on a red carpet since 2023, when she posed alongside Malala Yousafzai for We Dare To Dream. If this is how Emma Watson is starting her Cannes trip, we're already eager for whatever she has planned.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Navigating change: Insights from Melinda French Gates' The Next Day
The divorce, especially, was a raw, vulnerable chapter marked by sleepless nights and emotional upheaval. Yet, through that darkness, she discovered a surprising sense of freedom. This renewal marked a pivotal moment in her journey—proof that the end of one chapter often makes way for a truer one to begin. From there, the narrative moves into the profound changes Melinda faced: her divorce after nearly three decades of marriage and her decision to step away from the Gates Foundation. These aren't just headlines or public milestones. They are seismic shifts in identity and purpose. She writes candidly about the pain, fear and uncertainty that accompanied these transitions. What struck me first was Melinda's tender reflection on her relationship with her father. She honours him as a steadfast advocate—kind, generous, always pushing to improve—much like Malala Yousafzai's father, who fiercely supported his daughter's courage. This tribute hit home for me, stirring memories of my own dad, now gone, whose gentle support and unwavering belief shaped who I am. Fathers like these are rare gifts, our first champions in a world that doesn't always listen to daughters. Melinda's acknowledgment of that love and advocacy sets a deeply human tone for the entire book. When I read The Next Day, it felt like sitting down with a close friend who's been through the storm and come out the other side with quiet strength and a heart wide open. The Role of Relationships Leaving the foundation was another bold step, choosing to redefine her philanthropic journey on her own terms, focusing more deeply on women's empowerment through Pivotal Ventures. What I found especially inspiring was how Melinda leans into relationships as lifelines during these upheavals. Her friendship with John Neilson, a dear colleague and family friend, is woven throughout the book with warmth and sorrow. John's battle with cancer while Melinda was pregnant with her son Rory, whom she named in his honour, captures the bittersweet interplay between loss and new beginnings. It reminded me how change is never just about endings or beginnings, but the messy, beautiful overlap of both. Lessons in Vulnerability Melinda also speaks to the power of women's groups and friendships—those circles of empathy and strength that buoy us when life feels unsteady. Reading The Next Day brought to mind Brené Brown's Daring Greatly, which teaches us that vulnerability is not weakness but the birthplace of courage and connection. Melinda embodies this truth, showing us how to meet uncertainty with openness rather than resistance. At the same time, Brianna Wiest's The Mountain Is You echoes in the background, reminding us that the hardest climbs are often within ourselves, and transforming self-sabotage is the key to growth. Together, these voices create a chorus of resilience, courage and hope. Melinda writes, 'Change doesn't demand perfection; it asks only for courage to begin again, one small step at a time.' This simple truth pulses throughout the book, reminding us that the next day is always waiting—an invitation to meet life with openness, kindness and hope. She shows us that vulnerability is not a crack in our armour but the light that guides us through the unknown, and that the quiet strength of those who believe in us—like fathers, friends and ourselves—becomes the foundation for every new beginning. Conclusion: A Companion for the Journey The Next Day is a warm, honest companion for anyone facing change, loss or uncertainty. Melinda French Gates reminds us that every ending holds the seed of a new beginning, and that with courage, connection and compassion, we can meet each next day ready to grow. This book isn't just about moving forward. It's about learning to begin again, wherever you are * The Next Day by Melinda French Gates can be obtained at Exclusive Books.
