Malala's struggle began when the Taliban assumed control of the Swat Valley in which she lived. Under Sharia law, Malala was strongly encouraged to not go to public places unaccompanied, and death threats were made against her father due to his belief in the necessity of educating girls. Malala's struggles were documented in pieces that she wrote for the BBC during this time, as well as in a New York Times documentary that she starred in.

Malala's real struggle began when her "rebellious" actions resulted in her being shot by a Taliban gunman. She was immediately embroiled in a struggle for her life, which was saved initially by the actions of Colonel Junaid, who operated to give her swelling brain space to grow. The struggle was far from over, though, and under the care of British physicians, Malala was later transferred to a hospital in England after her kidneys threatened to fail and blood clotting became a problem. Here, she needed to undergo a variety of surgeries, as well as overcome speech difficulties, hearing loss, and partial paralysis.

In the aftermath of her recovery, Malala has made it abundantly clear that her struggle is ongoing. She will continue to fight for world peace and for every child's right to an education.