Children's rights activists Malala Yousafzai has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

Photo: Reuters

The 17-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl became a household name after her campaigning for girls' right to education led to an assassination attempt by the Taliban two years ago.

A bullet narrowly missed her brain and she was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where she was treated for life-threatening injuries, and has gone on to become a human rights campaigner, speaking around the globe, including the UN.

In a statement, the committee said: 'Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai 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.'

When a journalist at the press conference questioned why Malala was given the prize as she has ‘not achieved anything, the head of the Nobel Peace Prize committee Thorbjörn Jagland was swift to slam him.

‘How can you say that?! Thanks to Malala, the issue of child labour has been put on the world agenda.'

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that she had been jointly awarded the prestigious Peace Prize together with Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi.

Satyarthi has maintained the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and headed various forms of peaceful protests, focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain,' the Nobel committee said.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited the two 'for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.

‘We have awarded two people, from Pakistan and India, a Muslim and a Hindi, and it is in itself a strong thing,’ Jagland said, adding that he thought the committee’s decision would be well received around the world.

Source: DailyMail