World observed November 10 as 'Malala Day' in honour of Pakistani child activist Malala Yousafzai who was shot by the Taliban for her fight for girls education.

UN secretary general's special envoy for global education Gordon Brown has said the day would be commemorated in support of the 14 year old and the 32 million girls like her around the globe

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who are denied their right to school.

Malala is recovering in the UK after she and two others were shot on October9.

Meanwhile, Pakistan government on Friday announced a scheme to attract the poorest children to school ahead of the occasion.

The Waseela-e-Taleem programme was announced in Islamabad by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Gordon Brown.

"Malala's dreams represent what is best about Pakistan," said Brown, the former UK prime minister.

The initiative aims to enrol three million of the poorest children in education in the next four years and, according to Reuters, will see poor families receive $2 a month per child in primaryschool.

In his message of support for Yousafzai and girls' education, Ban said, "Malala Yousafzai is a global symbol of every girl's right to an education".

"I am adding my voice to the messages from over one million people across the globe. Education is a fundamental human right. It is a pathway to development, tolerance and global citizenship," Ban said in a brief video message posted on the UN website.

He called the international community to join the UN campaign to put education first "for Malala and girls and boys throughout the world".

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people around the world have signed an online petition calling for Malala to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The UK government has also been urged to back the campaign, with advocates saying she represents those denied an education.