“In countries other than Pakistan - I won't necessarily call them 'Western' - people support me. This is because people there respect others. They don't do this because I am a Pashtun or a Punjabi, a Pakistani, or an Iranian, they do it because of one's words and character. This is why I am being respected and supported there.”

Pakistani education activist and producer

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani education activist and producer of film and television, known for advocating for the rights of women and children to attend school. Born in the Swat district, she became an international figure for her campaign against restrictions on girls’ education. She is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history, winning the Peace Prize in 2014 at age 17. She is also the second Pakistani and the only Pashtun to receive a Nobel Prize. Her work has grown into a wider movement, and she has been described as Pakistan’s most prominent citizen.