Malala Wins Sakharov HR Prize

[AgnesIO]

Malala Yousafzai wins EU's Sakharov human rights prize

Pakistani schoolgirl and campaigner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban, has won the EU's Sakharov human rights prize.
The 16-year-old activist was shot a year ago for campaigning for better rights for girls.
The Sakharov Prize for free speech is awarded by the European Parliament annually in memory of Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov.
US whistleblower Edward Snowden had been a contender for the prize.
The 50,000 euro ($65,000) prize is considered Europe's top human rights award.
Malala rose to prominence in 2009 after writing a blog anonymously for the BBC Urdu service about her life under Taliban rule and the lack of education for girls.
She lived in Pakistan's mountainous Swat Valley and her name became internationally known after the Pakistan army pushed the Taliban out of the area in 2009.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24475305

This girl is truly inspirational, and has done some incredible things at such a young age. $65,000 prize is pretty amazing, but totally deserved. The fact she is still standing and campaigning after being shot in the head is the bit that really amazes me - she definitely wasn't lying when she said "I will not be silenced"

I am Malala.

[karter]

It disgusts me that people in Pakistan are criticizing her - saying she projects a bad image of Pakistani women on the world.

Ah yes, of course they'll be embarrassed. Atrocities towards women have been going on in the country non stop but when the harsh truth is shown to the west, it chills their spines. A few years ago when a Pakistani origin director won the Oscar for best documentary on acid attacks on women in Pakistan, the reaction was similar. This country is in denial and refuses to solve it's own problems. If I am not wrong their newly elected PM was considering "friendly talks" with Taliban.

The girl is 100% deserving, she's really brave and I hope she wins the Nobel Peace Prize too.

[lemons]

knew she would win something big good on her

[AgnesIO]

It disgusts me that people in Pakistan are criticizing her - saying she projects a bad image of Pakistani women on the world.

Ah yes, of course they'll be embarrassed. Atrocities towards women have been going on in the country non stop but when the harsh truth is shown to the west, it chills their spines. A few years ago when a Pakistani origin director won the Oscar for best documentary on acid attacks on women in Pakistan, the reaction was similar. This country is in denial and refuses to solve it's own problems. If I am not wrong their newly elected PM was considering "friendly talks" with Taliban.

The girl is 100% deserving, she's really brave and I hope she wins the Nobel Peace Prize too.

Took my reply from me. I was about to say, let's be honest - they are embarrassed. I read about their PM - absolutely ridiculous, and I don't see what the Taliban have done to deserve friendly talks. They are extremists, and whatever they say are not interested in "friendly talks" (unless the outcome is guaranteed to be what they want).

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Even before she was shot she showed impressive bravery, which was definitely worth recognising - however her growth in the past year is simply incredible, and I really do see her going on to do even greater things (namely in the area of girls education).

[Ardemax]

It's such a shame whenever I read about things like this, but luckily she's alive and even better, has won this prize. Let's just hope most of the middle East becomes less backward over time.

[AgnesIO]

It's such a shame whenever I read about things like this, but luckily she's alive and even better, has won this prize. Let's just hope most of the middle East becomes less backward over time.

Agree with this post, until you mentioned Middle East - some which Pakistan, is not :L

[Ardemax]

Agree with this post, until you mentioned Middle East - some which Pakistan, is not :L

East of the Middle East, then

[-:Undertaker:-]

It's all very well and good but let's be honest - the problems within Islam are so wide and deep that to simply say 'no talks with the Taliban' doesn't even scratch the surface. The Taliban may seem extreme to us, but in the Islamic world it's a completely different story as they enjoy widespread support in both Afghanistan and in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

The usual dismissal of 'its a tiny minority in the Islamic world' doesn't stand up to any scrutiny.

[GommeInc]

She's such an amazing girl. It's always interesting to hear her speak, whether or not you can say she is 100% accurate in her facts (the Taliban point Dan had mentioned above being one - it's becoming arguable).

I'm shocked she didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize, seeing as she believes in such understandable freedoms of education, while also promoting peace and humility. The winners are just an organisation drafted in to clean up, than to actually promote anything that represents peace. But that's the Nobel Prize for you, giving people and organisations awards that cause a lot of controversy - it's still a moot point that Obama and the EU have it, yet they cause a lot of hostility and friction in the areas they work in.