Rabia Faridi, Student of University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Nominated for 2014 Youth Courage Award, Delivered a Speech on "Education & Women Empowerment "and Gets a Standing Ovation From the Audience at the United Nations General Assembly Session

Rabia Faridi, a student of University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), in her speech at the United Nations, stressed upon women education especially in rural areas, saying that it is essential for progress. She delivered a speech on women education at ongoing UN General Assembly session commenced from September 22. She also received an award "2014 Youth Courage Award” at the event. She hails from a village near Samundri. It is second time in the history of the country that Pakistani student spoke in the elite forum of United Nations. She condemned the Israeli bombardment on Gaza saying that the brutal act has not taken the lives of many people but also deprived many young girls of education. She vowed to follow in the footprints mother of the nation Fatima Jinnah to serve the people and put her every possible effort for the betterment of society. She said that education was the key to deal with different challenges at individual, community, national and international level. She said that Islam teaches us to read. She said that the menace of unemployment, extremism, denial to human rights etc can be rooted out through education. She showed her commitment to work for the women education especially under-privileged areas so that they can shoulder their responsibilities effectively for the development and prosperity. She is also a global youth ambassador of education by UN. She is a student of M.Sc Hons (Plant Breeding and Genetics), UAF and member of Debating Club, Office of the Senior Tutor, UAF. Rabia is also a winner of Bargad Youth I-con Award 2014. Currently, she is working on bringing out-of-school and dropout towards education in the Faisalabad Division.