From poverty to persecution, there are numerous barriers that stand in the way of a girl's education. Last October, things took a near fatal turn when 15-year-old activist Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban, because she stood up for her right to go to school.
While the shooting was met with outrage across the world (Malala Day will take place on July 12, the teenager's 16th birthday, in a call for all girls to receive an education), there are over three million girls in Pakistan who are denied an education.
According to statistics from the Federal Education Ministry of Pakistan, only 26% of girls have basic literacy.
In a male-dominated society, Pakistan's "other Malalas" are fighting for their right to go to school, even if it means overcoming crippling poverty, sexual harassment, violence or child marriage.
In Pakistan, child marriage can rob girls of their right to go to school, as once wed they are expected to work at home and look after the family.
When the floods devastated Pakistan in 2010, child marriage shot up as parents panicked about the wellbeing of their daughters. In the face of desperation, they promised their girls in marriage with the hope these families would feed and clothe them. Azizah, 18, was one of them.
"During the flood, my parents arranged a marriage contract to my cousin, but I wanted to continue with my education," she says. But she pleaded with them to let her continue with her education.
The marriage has now been postponed while she finishes her education.
There are many reasons to call off an engagement _ lack of trust, infidelity and incompatibility _ but asking to be educated isn't normally one of them.
15-year-old Nasreen was attending a government school 1.5 kilometres away from her home when she dropped out due to bad grades and lack of support from her teachers. Although the teenager was engaged throughout her time at government school, once she left she was told she would have to marry straight away.
"I was able to persuade my parents to let me continue my education instead of getting married, but my in-laws were not happy, so they ended the engagement," says Nasreen.
It's a constant battle for girls in Pakistan to convince their parents _ and their potential in-laws _ that education for girls is vital. And it's a battle that 17-year-old Faridah nearly lost.
When Faridah was 12, men (both young and old) would sexually harass young girls on their way to school and Faridah knew if her family found out she would no longer be allowed to go. One day, Faridah's grandfather saw a boy harassing his granddaughter, but his first reaction was not to protect her.
"He took me home, and beat me, and banned my education," recalls Faridah.
At the tender age of 15, Faridah was forced to get married to an older man. When Faridah asked her husband if she could return to education, his reaction wasn't what she expected.
"My husband became angry, he beat me, argued with me and refused to let me go," she says.
"He says, 'What's the point in educating girls? There's no point because it's the boys who get the jobs'."
Two months ago, Faridah's husband threw her out of their house because she wanted to go to school. Faridah now lives with her mother.
While her mum supports Faridah's plight for an education, she is torn between her daughter's right to go to school and her family honour.
Sometimes things get so bad, Faridah's mum caves under the pressure from male members of the family and beats her own daughter, because by wanting to go to school, Faridah's husband could use it as grounds for divorce, bringing dishonour on the family.
"I want to see Faridah as an educated lady, but I don't want to see her marriage end so I'll try and convince her husband to let her continue her education," says her mum. "Faridah is crazy _ she's determined to get educated."
She is one of the girls who enrol at a school operated by Plan International. Designed as an alternative to far-flung government schools, the so-called Non Formal Education (NFE) centres which are located in various communities are educating over 11,000 girls aged 10-24 across Pakistan.
Its aim is to fast-track the girls' education to Grade 10, so they can get a school leaving certificate, as well as receive education on basic life skills such as health and sanitation, as well as sexual and reproductive rights.
"Plan's learning centres are a ray of hope for girls who had dropped out of school because of fear for their well-being, corporal punishment, distantly located schools and protection issues," says Zulqurnain Rafiq, Plan's Girl Power Project Manager.
And while it has been a struggle to engage the community in this project, Mr Zulqurnain says: "The community's behaviour toward girls' education has significantly changed and it is shown through their willingness to enroll them at Plan's NFE centre. This means that they are starting to realise that educating a girl is just as important as educating a boy."
The change in behaviour is further evident as there are 746 married girls attending Plan's NFE projects.
Although education is a constitutional right for girls, what does the ability to go to school mean to the "other Malala's" of Pakistan?
"Education is very important. Through education, we can gain awareness and learn the basic skills for life," says Nasreen.
As for Azizah, she says: "One girl's education can impact the next generation of girls." That's just what herself, Nasreen and Faridah are planning to do.
Angela Singh is media officer of Plan International.