Malala Yousafzai receives International Children's Peace Prize 2013

The Hague, Aug 27: Teenage activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by a Taliban militant last October while campaigning for girls' right to education, has won the prestigious International Children's Peace Prize, KidsRights announced today.

AFP reported that the Pakistani 16-year-old will receive the award from 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner and women's rights campaigner Tawakkol Karman at a ceremony in The Hague on September 6, the Amsterdam-based organisation said.

KidsRights said in a statement that Malala "risked her life in the fight for access to education for girls all over the world."

"By awarding the 2013 International Children's Peace Prize... KidsRights shines the spotlight on a brave and talented child who has demonstrated special dedication to children's rights," it added.

The passionate advocate for girls' education was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman while on a school bus near her home in Pakistan's Swat Valley last year.

Malala's brave fight back from her injuries and her speech at the United Nations in July have made her a leading contender for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

The International Children's Peace Prize, an initiative of the Dutch-based KidsRights Foundation, was launched in 2005 by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, when he chaired the Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome.

This includes a cash value of 100,000 euros that is invested in projects relating to the winner's cause.

OneIndia News