Malala wins Nobel Peace Prize

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani child activist, has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

The 17-year-old, who strives to improve children’s access to education, was announced Friday as a joint winner of the award alongside Indian child rights campaigner, Kailash Satyarthi.

Malala is the youngest recipient of the coveted prize ever.

The Nobel committee praised the duo’s “struggle against the suppression of children and young people”.

Mr. Satyarthi has led several peaceful protests through “focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain”, the committee said at the announcement in Oslo.

Mr. Satyarthi, 60, is the founder of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, (Save the Childhood Movement), which campaigns for child rights and an end to human trafficking. He also fights for the rights of child labourers.

Mr. Satyarthi dedicated the award to enslaved children.

“It’s a great honour for all the Indians, it’s an honour for all those children who have been still living in slavery despite of all the advancement in technology, market and economy,” he was quoted by the BBC as saying.

“And I dedicate this award to all those children in the world,” he added.

The Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, praised Malala’s feats.

“Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai, has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education and has shown by example that children and young people too can contribute to improving their own situations,” he said.

“This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.”