Yousafzai’s remarks centred on the Taliban’s systemic oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan and raised the visibility of a growing effort to expand the definition of apartheid to include gender-based oppression. In Afghanistan, a system of gender apartheid prevents girls from going to school, keeps women from participating in most facets of public life, and threatens their well-being. 

In a dialogue following the annual lecture, Yousafzai and a panel of activists reflected on lessons from South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle and Nelson Mandela’s legacy within it and highlighted calls to action from Afghan women and girls for a more robust global response.