Pakistani teenager and women’s rights activist, Malala Yousafzai has won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.
Exactly two years and a day after she was shot in the head by the Taliban for speaking up for the rights of girls to obtain an education, 17 year-old Yousafzai has become the youngest Nobel Prize winner. She dedicated her award to children around the world who were still struggling to obtain their rights.
“This award is for all those children who are voiceless, whose voices need to be heard,” she said.
She was awarded the prize alongside children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi. The Nobel Committee said the pair was awarded the prize for fighting against the struggle of education of young people and the exploitation of children.
“The Nobel Committee regards it as an important point for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in a common struggle for education and against extremism,” committee head Thorbjoern Jagland said.
“It has been calculated that there are 168 million child labourers around the world today. In 2000 the figure was 78 million higher. The world has come closer to the goal of eliminating child labour.”
Yousafzai has become a global symbol of defiance against military rule and an activist for women’s rights said she was honoured to be the first pakistani and first young woman to receive the prize.
“I really believe in peace. I really believe in tolerance and patience. I used to say that I do not think I deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. I still believe that,” she said.