Malala's birthday speech at UN

Singer Beyoncé has shown her support for the schoolgirl shot by the Taliban after promoting women's education rights.

In a message to Malala Yousafzai on Instagram Beyoncé wrote:

"Your bravery and perseverance has touched the world. You are the true definition of a Survivor [sic]. All my love and respect."

Malala now lives in Birmingham after being treated in the city. On her 16th birthday on Friday she gave a speech to the UN calling on education for all people.

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot in the head by the Taliban and then brought to Birmingham to recover, is celebrating her 16th birthday today.

This afternoon, she made a speech at the United Nations in New York, and handed in a 300,000 signature petition, demanding access to education for girls across the world.

Chris Halpin reports.

The United Nations should "wage a global struggle against illiteracy and poverty", Malala Yousafzai said today in a keynote speech urging leaders to do more to ensure every child gets the right to free education.

Malala said: "One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world."

Malala Yousafzai marked her 16th birthday by delivering a speech at the UN headquarters in New York urging leaders to do more to ensure every child gets the right to free education. She thanked the UN leaders and said she was here to "speak up for the right education of every child".

She said: "It is an honour for me to speak again after a long time, being here with such honourable people. I fully support Mr Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary General in his global education first initiative. And the work of the UN special envoy Mr Gordon Brown. I thank them for their leadership.

"They continue to inspire us all into action. Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman and every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights.

"When I was shot weakness and fear died, and strength and power was born. The Taliban thought the bullet could silence us. But they failed".

Sarah Brown has said she is "so proud" that Malala Yousafzai is taking her campaign to promote girls' education to the United Nations.

The wife of the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has been working with Malala and her father, as part of her work to bring attention to global education campaigns.

Mrs Brown told the Evening Standard: "What is so moving about Malala’s story is that, in spite of all the odds, she has kept on fighting not just for her own education but for the education of all children in Pakistan, and beyond.

"I’m so proud that she will lead 500 of these young voices in taking her campaign to the highest level at the UN."

Malala Yousafzai will call on governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child during her address to the United Nations later today.

In her first public speech since being shot by the Taliban in an attack in Pakistan's north-western Swat valley, the 16-year-old will present a petition signed by more than three million people to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon demanding education for all.

Read: Malala petitions Pakistani government after teacher shot dead