Champion of Children, Defender of Education for Women Receive Nobel

A young Pakistani woman who courageously stood up to those who would deny young girls the right to education, and a man in India who has dedicated his life to ending child slavery have been jointly awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

“I [expressed] my concerns [to President Obama] that drone attacks are fueling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people. If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact.” —Malala Yousafzai, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize recipient

The Norwegian Nobel Committee gave the annual honor to Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai, a Muslim, and India’s Kailash Satyarthi, a Hindu, for their separate, but shared, “struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.”

According to the committee’s announcement:

Children must go to school and not be financially exploited. In the poor countries of the world, 60% of the present population is under 25 years of age. It is a prerequisite for peaceful global development that the rights of children and young people be respected. In conflict-ridden areas in particular, the violation of children leads to the continuation of violence from generation to generation.

Showing great personal courage, Kailash Satyarthi, maintaining Gandhi’s tradition, has headed various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain. He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children’s rights.

Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzay 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. This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.

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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. Many other individuals and institutions in the international community have also contributed. 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.

At 17, Malala’s selection makes her the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

According to the Associated Press:

The news set off celebrations on the streets of Mingora, the main town in Pakistan’s volatile Swat valley, with residents greeting each other and distributing sweets. At the town’s Khushal Public School, which is owned by Malala’s father, students danced in celebration Friday, jumping up and down.