London: A portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager shot by the Taliban for championing education for girls, will be auctioned in New York and sales proceeds will go to Nigerian charities focused on education and advocacy for girls and women.
Jonathan Yeo, a leading British portraitist, painted Malala in 2013 shortly after she started attending a school in Birmingham, England, where she now lives.
Christie's auction house is offering the Malala portrait, which shows the teenager doing her homework. It has a presale estimate of $60,000 to $80,000.
Malala, 16, said she will donate all the proceeds from the auction later on Wednesday to Nigerian charities focused on education and advocacy for girls and women.
Last week, the Malala Fund launched a special fund in response to the crisis in Nigeria, where more than 200 girls by terrorist group Boko Haram.
"I was shocked and saddened when I heard about the abduction of more than 200 girls by terrorists in Nigeria. I am very concerned about these innocent girls — my sisters — whose only crime was going to school and learning," Malala said.
"I believe it is our duty to stand together in solidarity with their parents, families and relatives. We all have a voice and we must speak up and call on the international community and the government of Nigeria to intervene and bring these girls back to their homes safely. Together we can create a world where no child will be out of school and no student will fear for her or his safety."
