16-year-old Malala Gets International Children’s Peace Prize

Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai

Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who “risked her life in the fight for access to education for girls”, has been named winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize 2013.

Malala, 16, is “a brave and talented child who has demonstrated special dedication to children’s rights,” the Dutch children’s rights organization KidsRights said.

Starting at age 11, Malala started to write a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC about how she felt about being denied access to school.

Her activism made her a potential target. She was shot in the head by Taliban agents in October and was eventually flown to Britain for treatment. She currently lives in Britain.

Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkul Karman, co-winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, will present the 100,000 euro (about N2.16m) award on September 6 at a ceremony in The Hague.

The funds will be used for projects aimed at improving access to education for girls in Pakistan.
Youzafi has also been nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.