Malala's dad named UN advisor on education

The father of 15-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban for advocating girls' right to education, has been appointed as Special UN Adviser on Global Education.

"Ziauddin Yousafzai, a former teacher and headmaster, will play a critical role in helping remove the discrimination and barriers that prevent girls going to school," UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown was quoted as saying in a statement.

Caring dad: Ziauddin Yousafzai chatsu00a0with his daughter Malalau00a0as she recuperates in hospital. Pic/AFP

Brown said that Yousafzai has been appointed to assist the work of getting every child to school by the end of 2015. Brown also unveiled a Malala Plan to get all girls to school by the end of 2015. He asked supporters of girls' education to join a day of action on July 12, Malala's birthday.

"If the Taliban sought to vanquish her voice once and for all, they failed. For today her voice and her insistent dream that children should go to school echoes all around the world, as girl after girl, each wanting all girls to have the right to go to school, identifies with Malala," Brown added.

"To help in this
global endeavour, Ziauddin, Malala's father, will become a Special Adviser to the UN Special Envoy for Global Education," Brown further said. u00a0