After being announced joint winners of Nobel Peace Prize, Pakistan teenage girl Malala Yousufzai said she feels highly honoured while Indian children rights activists Kailash Satyarthi opines that voices of millions of children have been heard.

Islamabad, Oct 11/Nationalturk – Pakistan teenage girl Malala Yousufzai, who survived assassination attempt by Pakistan Taliban in 2001, said she feels highly honoured to be chosen as joint winner of Nobel peace prize alongwith an Indian activist.

Malala and Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi have been jointly announced as winner of Nobel Peace prize.

The Nobel Committee said it was “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.”

The two have been named joint winners of the 1.1 million dollar prize for their “struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education,” the jury said.

It is the first time that an Indian and a Pakistani will share the Peace prize, but for work that is non-political and non-religious.

“I feel highly honoured for being chosen as a Nobel Laureate,” said 17-year-old Malala, who was shot in the head by the Taliban militant in 2012 for advocating girls´ right to education in Pakistan’s Swat area.

Malala first Pakistan woman to win Nobel peace prize

She said she is proud that she has become the first Pakistani and first young woman to get the award.

Malala dedicated her Nobel peace prize to “voiceless” children around the world.

“I feel more powerful and more courageous because this award is not just a piece of metal or a medal you wear or an award you keep in your room. This is encouragement for me to go forward,” she said.

Malala urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to attend the Nobel award ceremony in December.

Satyarthi campaigns for child rights, ends to human trafficking

Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi has headed various forms of peaceful protests. The 60-year-old founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan, which campaigns for child rights and an end to human trafficking.

He belongs to Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. Trained as an electrical engineer, he turned into an activist for children’s rights at the age of 26.  With the help of NGOs and activists, he has organized hundreds of raids on factories and warehouses where children were being made to work.

Satyarthi is the eighth Indian to win a Nobel, and only the second – after Mother Teresa – to win the Peace Prize.

“The voice of millions of children has been heard,” said Satyarthi, whose organisation Bachpan Bachao Andolan is believed to have rescued some 80,000 children forced to work in mines and factories in most appalling conditions.

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Asia News/ NationalTurk Pakistan News