The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Malala Yousafzai on Helping Refugee Girls with "We Are Displaced" & Malala Fund in 2019

Episode Date: August 17, 2021

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai discusses her book "We Are Displaced" and explains why her nonprofit Malala Fund is focused on education. Originally aired January 2019. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling? But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Seth Done of CBS News, listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17th. Welcome to the show. Thank you. Thank you so much for being here. You know it's weird, I'll tell you a little personal story. You are one of

those few human beings who walks the planet and is seen as a saint. Like you're seen as somebody who is better than the rest of us because you are. You are late so... Right, but then this was really great. So we kept Malala waiting because we're running late today and so you... Trying to impress me and like say nice things about me. No, no, and then you don't think it's working. No, but then like, and then you tweeted a picture throwing shade at me. She's like, she's sitting on the side holding my book and she's like, ah, Trevor, who is this guy and why is he late? And I was like, I forget that you were a person who's like also having fun in life. Do you, do sometimes people only treat you like a deity? Does it get a bit weird when you're talking to people? Um, no, I have really good friends and they're very

nice to me. Right. So do they treat you completely normally? Yeah, very normally. Oh, they're just like, Malala, I don't care. Close the door. No, like, you know, the way I'm, like not happy. I would be terrified to be your teacher in school. No, because you have a Nobel Prize. And then like, Malala's in your class. You're like, Malala, would you like to teach the class? And she's like, yeah, I will. I wish. I wish. Does nobody ever bring that up with you? either? No, I couldn't. I was scared. But you have a Nobel Prize, like let me tell you something, Lala, I'm going to teach you a little bit about swag. If you have a

Nobel Prize, you should start every sentence with Nobel Prize even if it's not necessary. If you're at Starbucks and they're like, what would you like? You say, well, as a Nobel Prize, you know, I'll have the ventu. I one of the reasons people are so drawn to you and your story is is not just because of the journey you've been on, but because of the focus you bring to other people's journeys. And this book, We Are Displaced, is another example of that. My journey and stories from refugee girls around the world. Why did you feel the need to include other stories other than your own? I mean, your story is really so amazing. Why bring in others? Yeah, people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people? I their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. I, I, I, I, I, their. I, their. I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I. I their their their their their their. I their. I their, I their, I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I thoooooooooooooooooooo. I'm, th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I your own. I mean your story is really so amazing. Why bring in others? Yeah, people already know about my story and displacement was part of my life in Pakistan and then also moving to the UK. But I have met girls around the world who have been displaced,

who have lost their homes and often people talk about refugees and immigrants in numbers and in figures and we hear about refugees but we never hear from refugees. And for me it was so important that we hear from these girls hear their stories and get inspired and you know they show resilience and bravery and courage and I think they have overcome all these difficulties so there's a lot for us to learn from them. It's it's interesting because when you when you see images from you know refugee settlements or places where people have been displaced by war, it's often the images that connect with people.

As you say, the numbers don't seem to shake anyone. But for instance, from Syria, we saw the image of that little boy. Do you think that we could do a better job of putting a face to these people and to these groups? Do you think there's something we could do to improve how we see other human beings who are struggling? I think definitely there are a number of ways in which we can actually know more about the issue. I think firstly is finding out and meeting the refugees and immigrants in our own community, and one of the stories I have shared is of this amazing young woman who is reaching out to immigrants in our community,

helping them, you know, going to the grocery shop or getting their education or applying to university. So it's actually going out there and doing it yourself, but also, you know, listening to the girl stories that are out there, reading this work is one opportunity to hear from these girls. And I think this is a way for us to hear from them. And I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, their, the, their, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is one, is, is, is, is one, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is one, is one, is the, is the, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is their, is a, is a their, is a their, is a their, is a their, is a their, is a their, is a their, is a their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, is, is, is a their, is a.a, is a.a, is, is think this is a way for us to hear from them. And I think what is inspiring is that people are interested in these stories and they want to know more and I've already seen that. So yeah. When you look at the story of refugees around the world, one thing that seems consistent is being a refugee, being a refugee, being a refugee, a woman or a girl who is a refugee, exponentially increases how difficult that journey is.. the the the the the the the the the the thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is a refugee is already hard enough. Being a woman or a girl who is a refugee

exponentially increases how difficult that journey is. It's so much more precarious. It's a really dangerous position to be in as a young girl. What do you think some of the biggest misconceptions are about girls who are refugees or refugees in general around the world? I think the first thing is that becoming a refugee is never their first choice. This is the last choice and this is often the only choice that they have, is to leave their homes for their safety, for their better future, because they have lost many things

in their lives. And one of the stories that I have mentioned is of Anna Lisa from Guatemala, who lost their lives. And you know one of the stories that I have mentioned is of Anna Lisa from Guatemala who lost her parents, she became orphan at the age of 15 and had to cross the US border and go through so many difficulties and you know the fear and in this this sense that you go through where you feel like you are not safe and like somebody could kidnap you or somebody could put you in jail like all that you have to go through is not an easy thing when you're only 15 years old who have lost their parents. And so it just reminds us of the courage that these people have, but also the fact that

you know we need to look at it from a more human eye, from a human angle and understand what would we be in a situation, how would we react in such a situation, what would we personally be when we also face the same kind of conflicts or wars or other things that force us to leave our homes. You recently spoke in Australia, and you spoke out against their policy of turning away boats of refugees that had landed on their shores or had come close to their shores.

If you were trying to convince somebody who was anti-immigrant or anti-refugee, have you found anything that you can say to them that shifts them? Or do you find a way that you can speak to people to try and help them see the humanity in this plight? Well, I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have I have th th th thi thi thi thi the thi thi thi the the the the the the the the the the try try try try try try try try the the the the the try trying it for a while and I think it is difficult to convince people but I think for me the best way to know about is I think oftentimes people do not know enough. They do not they have not met a refugee

person, they have not talked to a refugee girl and what she has gone through. So I think it's important for people to actually go and talk to people. that's the best way to integrate to to to to to to to to to their their their their their their their their people their people their people to be. their people their. their. their. their. their. their. thi. their. thi. thi. their. thi. I'm, thi. I'm, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thi. thi. thi. I. I. I is, thi. I is, thi. I'm, together, together, together, the. I'm, thea. I'm, thea. I'm, thea. I's, thea. I'm, thea, thea, talk to people. That's the best way to integrate. And my father often says that if you want to know about a Muslim man or a Muslim person, do not know them through the news, but rather go and visit your next door neighbor who's a Muslim and talk to them. So I think talking to people is important, but also go and look for facts and figures and figures have contributed to the global economies and how, you know, for instance, take the US, how refugees and immigrants have built this country at the level that it is right now.

And also just look at the human side of why people leave their homes. And it is not that simple. It is never their first choice and it is often the difficulties that they face that push them out of their houses. And, you know, for me personally, when we were leaving Swat Valley, our hometown, that was because it was not safe to stay there. All lives were at risk. And we did not know where we were going. We did not know for how long, but we knew that we could not stay there.

There was no more choice but to leave our homes. Right. One of the reasons to buy this book is because of the stories that are truly amazing and well-written. Another reason is because the proceeds go to an amazing cause, and that is to your foundation, which focuses on education. Why did you specifically choose that? Why is the Malala Fund specifically going after education of all the thingsions the the the the thiiiiiii things thi things thi things thi things thi things thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi that that that that that that that that that that that that that that to to to to to to to to to to to buy to buy to buy to buy to buy to buy to buy to buy to buy to buy to to to to to to to buy to to to buy to to to to buy to to to buy to to buy to buy to to buy to that that that that that that thi, thi, thi, thi, thi thi thi the the the the theatuu theatuu thooooooooooooes. the theatuu. to to buy to? Why is the Malala fund specifically going after education of all the things that you could have done?

Well, firstly, because I remember the time when my own education was banned by these extremist group called the Taliban. And I remember waking up, I think, 10 years ago. It was the month of January 2009 and I woke up one morning and girls education was completely banned and no girl was allowed to go to school. And I realized that my future was taken away from me. My dreams were taken away from me.

I was just limited to the house. I could not go and learn, I could not go and be a doctor or a teacher or an engineer. And for many girls, the only way towards empowerment is learning and is getting their education, doing a job, and then standing on their own two feet. So for me, it is, it's education is crucial for every girl's empowerment. But also the fact that if half of the population of the world does not get education, the world is losing. We all are losing. So education is crucial for me, especially the education of women, because when we educate women, it allows us to grow economies.

Educating all girls up to secondary level would add up to $30 trillion to the world economy. It helps us to tackle climate change. It helps us reduce poverty, fight against early child marriages, the cultural norms and traditions that are out there that are discriminating women, it has so many advantages and and I was one of the victims and I was one of those girls and I know that it is crucial for all girls to go and learn and and also the benefits that education brings to the world as well and refugees, children's education is equally important, especially the benefits that education brings to the world as well. And refugees, children's education is equally important,

especially the young gals who, oftentimes in the refugee camps, they are forced to get married. For instance, in Lebanon, like 41% of the recedent refugee girls get married before the age of 18. So that's why we started Malala Fund, and the work is focused on the education of Gulls, especially complete education, not just primary, but complete, primary and secondary education, safe and quality education to ensure that. And for that, we invest in local leaders and local educators.

And for instance, like in Lebanon, one of our activists is going out and talking to the Gull's parents and the local religious going out and talking to the girls' parents and the local religious leaders and convincing them to send their daughters to school or one of our activists is using this digital device that works in the absence of electricity and internet to educate girls in the refugee camps. In Brazil, we have activists in Pakistan, we have activists who are reaching out and doing work at the local level. It's amazing having you on the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show the show their their their their their religious, their, thoals, thi, thi, their religious, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, religious, their religious, their their religious, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thiiiiiiia, tea, te.a, tea.a.a.a.a.a. Wea. Wea. Wea, te. Wea, te. Wea, te. Wea, reaching out and doing work at the local level. It's amazing having you on the show.

You continue to inspire us. You make us realize how trash we are as human beings. And I appreciate everything you do. Thank you so much for being on the show. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Ear's Edition. Subscribe to the Daily Show on YouTube for exclusive content and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it.

This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. You're rolling? But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17.