Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi Jointly Win 2014 Nobel Peace Prize

Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi Jointly Win 2014 Nobel Peace Prize

This year, the Nobel Peace Prize went to Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai who has worked tirelessly for the rights of girls to education and noted Indian children's right activist Kailash Satyarthi. The Norwegian Nobel Committee indicated that this award was given to the pair because they had singlehandedly struggled 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 was quoted as having said.

Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban 2 years back for advocating the right to education for girls. She now becomes the youngest Nobel Prize Winner at 17 years of age. This honour previously was that of Australian-born British scientist Lawrence Bragg who shared the Physics prize with his father in 1915 at the age of 25.

Malala Yousafzai is the internationally recognised upholder of girl's rights to education in opposition to Taliban's move to deny women education. She was shot in the head by Taliban militants who opposed her move to support education for girls. She has since then moved to Britain after being unable to return to Pakistan following her recovery. Yousafzai started a Malala fund and she supports local education advocacy groups with focus on Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Kenya.

She has already won the European Parliament's Sakharov human rights prize in 2013. "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," a statement issued by the Nobel Committee said."This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls' rights to education," the statement also said.

Speaking to media personnel from Birmingham in Britain where she is currently studying, Yousafzai said she was “honoured” to receive the award and dedicated the victory to children from all over the globe. She also said “This award is for all those children who are voiceless, whose voices need to be heard.” She also invited the PMs of India and Pakistan to attend the prize giving ceremony.

Child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi from Indian won the prize for his peaceful protests and demonstrations, focusing on fighting against the exploitation of children for monetary gains. "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," the statement from the Nobel Committee said."He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children's rights," the committee's statement added.

Satyarthi freed tens of thousands of children who had been forced into slavery and bonded labor. He also promoted and stressed on the importance of promoting ethical employment practices among international companies. Satyarthi also worked for giving freed children new options for education and employment. His dedication to the cause has changed the lives of many children for the better. The prize will be presented at Oslo on December 10 to both the winners on the death anniversary of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel who founded the award in his will in 1895.