17 Year Old Malala Yousafzai awarded Nobel Peace Prize for Pakistani Education Activism

17 years old Pakistani teenager and Education activist , Malala Yousafzai has been jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2014 alongside the 60 years old Kailash Satyarthi known for his numerous Indian children right’s campaigns. Malala Yousafzai becomes the youngest Nobel Prize to ever receive the award eclipsing previous awards set by Australian-born British scientist Lawrence Bragg, who was 25 when he shared the Physics Prize with his father in 1915.

The award announcement follows a week of fighting between India and Pakistan across the border of the disputed region of Kashmir. Malala rose to fame after Taliban militants shot her at close range in the head for speaking out against the Islamic extremists and demanding education for girls.

Satyarthi has headed various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the exploitation of children for financial gain. He also has helped develop important international conventions on children’s rights in India.

Malala, at a news conference Friday, expressed gratitude to be sharing the award with Satyarthi. She said the two had spoken by phone and decided to collaborate not only on education issues but also on a push for peace between their nations.

Malala asked Satyarthi to request that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the Nobel award ceremony in Oslo, Norway on December 10, while she promised to ask the same of Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif. The two Nobel winners will receive medals and split the $1.1 million prize.

“This is not the end of my campaign,” said the young activist, who was in a chemistry class when she learned of the honour. “I want to see every child going to school to get an education.”

Malala said her message to children around the world is that they should stand up for their rights. She said she accepted her award on behalf of “all those children who are voiceless.”

Satyarthi, in an interview with VOA’s Urdu Service, said the award acknowledged the pain and suffering of millions of children working as bonded labourers.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the pair were awarded the prize for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people.

“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.”

Not forgetting the fact that Malala Yousafzai visited Nigeria early this year; also met with president Goodluck Jonathan concerning the release of the abducted Chibok school girls in Borno State, Nigeria.

We all at NGScholars saya very big congratulations to Miss Malala Yousafzai and Mr Kailash Satyarthi on winning the Nobel Peace Prize 2014.

Excerpts from VOA, Reuters