Malala Yousafzai told a crowd of 8000 people in Sydney the movement has been positive in bringing awareness to the violence and harassment women are facing across the world.

"In the west it's often pressed down or never been mentioned in this way before," she said at the event on Monday night.

"It's a big achievement in my opinion."

Sydney's International Convention Centre was packed to capacity with the audience captivated by the 21-year-old who shared her story for the Growth Faculty's Women World Changers series hosted by ABC journalist Annabel Crabb.

It's the Nobel laureate's first trip to Australia and she brought along her father - who she describes as an inspiration - as well as her mother and brother.

The Pakistani woman rose to international prominence in 2012 when a masked gunman shot her in the face when she was 15 while on the way from her school in northern Pakistan, in response to her public advocacy of girls' right to an education.

Before being shot, Ms Yousafzai had been blogging for four years for the BBC about life under the Taliban and the restrictions on the lives of local women.

Her family relocated to England after the shooting, allowing Ms Yousafzai to complete her secondary and tertiary education.

At 17, she became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and established a foundation in her name to fundraise for girls' education.

Australian Associated Press