Malala Yousafzai says education is key to food security

The youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in history says education and equality cannot be excluded in global policy discussions as leaders work to address food security issues.

Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan won the Nobel Peace Prize at just 17 years old in 2014 for her action supporting global education for girls. At age 15, she was shot by a Taliban gunman for opposing education restrictions for women in Pakistan.

“I have seen it firsthand that girls who have challenges in getting enough food for herself or for her family every day, she has to sacrifice her education.”

Yousafzai says it’s not uncommon for some families in developing countries to feel like they have to choose between a girl’s education and food security.

“When a girl is educated, she is earning for herself. She’s also earning for her family, and she gives more food security to her family. So, we are encouraging families to think about girls not as a burden, but as hope.”

Yousafzai founded the Malala Fund, an international non-profit that has a stated goal of ensuring 12 years of free, safe, and quality education for every young girl.

She spoke during this week’s 2026 Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines, hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation.