Exclusive: Malala Yousafzai calls war in Gaza "devastating" for girls' education

• "We know a girl can't go to school when her school is being bombed, when she is living under bullets every night," Yousafzai said of the conflict in Gaza. "That cannot give her that peace and that normal life."
• "What we are witnessing in Gaza is devastating," she said, adding that it makes it impossible for people to go to school under such conditions. "More than 90% of the schools have been bombed. Almost all universities have been targeted."
• "We have to ensure that humanitarian law is followed and there is equal standard for everybody," Yousafzai added.

Zoom in: Reducing education access is a key tactic for oppressors targeting women, Yousafzai told Axios' Niala Boodhoo during the UN General Assembly.

• The 27-year-old Pakistani activist, who was shot by a Taliban gunman for advocating for girls' education, cited the terrorist group as an example.
• "I believe that quality education can really help us transform the world and actually reach the world where we want to see sustainability and equal opportunities for everyone," Yousafzai said.

What she's saying: "When I think about protection and safety for women ... I do think the system, the international law, is falling short," she said.

• Afghan women, who were banned in 2022 by the Taliban from attending universities, have been shown sympathy, Yousafzai said. (The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.)
• "But there is no international system of accountability to hold the Taliban to account," she added.

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