The United States Congress has passed a bill named after Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai that offers scholarships to Pakistani women under a merit and need-based programme.

According to the information posted on the congressional website, the ‘Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act’ was passed by the House of Representatives in March last year, and the US Senate adopted it by a voice vote on Jan 1.

The act has now been sent to President Donald Trump to sign it into law.

The bill requires the USAID to award at least 50 per cent of scholarships to Pakistani women, across a range of academic disciplines and in accordance with existing eligibility criteria.