Malala Yousafzai wins European Union's annual human rights award. PHOTO: FILE
Malala, 16, who was attacked in northwestern Pakistan by a group of gunmen who fired on her school bus, is also a favourite among experts and betting agencies to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought is given by the European Parliament each year since 1988 to commemorate Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov. Its past winners include Nelson Mandela and Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi.
Snowden had been nominated by the Green group in the parliament for what it said was his "enormous service" to human rights and European citizens when he disclosed secret US surveillance programmes.
Yousafzai was chosen as the winner after a vote among the heads of all the political groups in the 750-member parliament.
COMMENTS (72)
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@Fawad Aafia Siddiqui is a convicted terroritst. What is the comparion of her with a jewel like Malala.
You go girl
'Nobel Peace Prize Mania' swept Pakistanis in last few days.
Stupid, unrealistic Pakistani thought process is indeed unbeatable ....
@S. Fawad Ali in America we not not optimize terrorist, & girl killers or already convicted people like Aaifya Siddique that is why Pakistan is in a state of turmoil as you encourage terror behavior then claim and blame America. The American message is wake up terror & mayhem walks around you guided as Islam damned is a nation that chose not protect its jewels - it's children because they are your future not convicted terrorist like Aaifya Siddique and the Pak-Taliban
This massage for America. Where is Aafiya saddique? this is your human rights? you are working for Women empowerment, but Aafiya Saddique is in your Custody.? Actually i remember to Pakisanis, Malala Use for Anti-Muslim.
@Zain, what a douchebag you are. because your comment is an attempt to safeguard USA. ET won't omit it as abusive.
Congrats Malala, and Congrats all Pakistan!
Destroy Talibans they killed malala in Pakistan
Yay !!!! Applause ...
@Syed A. Mateen: This is exactly the motive of Western countries. The prizes and accolade has nothing with her social work rather a propaganda by NATO to create anti Taliban mindset in Pakistan. There are thousands of social workers like her in Pakistan, India and Africa who face severe threats and live in an unprotected environment unlike her today. Speaking about human rights at platforms in UN and EU is easy but taking a super power for ethics is difficult. Today in whose shoes people would like to be in Malala Yousafzai or Edward Snowden? Trust me after few years she will just become a fancy doll of West who will get unrestricted VISA for speaking what they want Pakistan and Afghanistan to listen but US will surely hunt Edward Snowden. (ET plz publish this for the sake of balanced opinion in comment section)
16-Year-Old Malala Yousafzai Leaves Jon Stewart Speechless the "daily show" one of the most watched late night shows in America millions were glued to their flat screen TV's watching this soft spoken Malala they wee mesmerized, surprised and intrigued by this jewel from Pakistan who was born in a country where the men did not protect her from the harsh treatment of the Taliban towards making her and women in Swat disappear and as she continues her American wonder tour millions more will welcome her into their home coming from a country like Pakistan where a minority are Taliban sympathizers and wish the worst for her and her friends the young women of Pakistan. You can watch this here: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-8-2013/malala-yousafzai
@Realist: i support MALALA but many people in PAK not but i do't care beceause i know what kind of people we are. we always creat rumors and not like to see other person success. we always live in this cheap fantasy what we did with other. you guys need help
@Sara Khan:
This girl has bashed no one but people of her own tribe which are known as the talibans, not the town or the province or the country!! She is not yet cured of her trauma and the neuro injuries that she has suffered. Her teenage life has been snatched away from her. She is assertive, sounds consequent and somewhat stubborn because this is how her father raised her but then not adequatel protected her. A teacher who believes that like boys the girls all around the world be given the right to education, a status not inferior to boys. This is what we heard on the television in the interview which she granted to the German TV network. It is worth watching..
Rex Minor
The whole nation is proud of Malala, particularly the moderate and enlightened Pukhtuns. This yet another slap on the face of the apologists & propagandists of the extremists.
@Qasim Cheema: A biased and idiot comment. She's only a child and deserves the award for highlighting female education prejudice in Pakistan. No politics, no plot, no hidden agenda. Plain and simple education for the women and girls of our country.
Insha Allah there will be a human being (a Pakistani journalist) soon who will have the guts to make his salary purely halaal and who will reveal the truth about Zia-ul-Haq’s crashed plane, 9/11, Benazir Bhutto’s assassination (and her brother’s) and last but not the least, Malala.
@Quaid-e-Saani: I wish. Its sad. We need control over media or else RIP Pakistan.
@New Start: Why do you think anyone is against the education of Women?
I am talking about the following
endoftheamericandream.com/archives/21-signs-that-u-s-public-schools-have-become-training-centers-for-sexual-deviancy
@Sara Khan: bashing? Please let go of your false sense of ego. She speaks for right things and it is a sign of greatness coming out of pakistan soil. No other nation in the world produced a child like that. Be proud.i speak to a lot of foreigners and they admire pakistan for being alive... unlike you who rather see it die in silence
@Sara Khan: Dear Sara, I hope you are as pretty as your name. I don't understand when Pakistani females start bashing Malala. Are you one of the survivors of Lal Masjid brigade?
@Sara Khan .. sometimes it takes bashing to wake up the masses!! She has NOT lied.. she has not said anything other than 100% truth.. if TRUTH hurts then take a painkiller.. :-)
The condition of women and especially the education of women is some of the worst in the world.. The treatment of women (well displayed by the unjust rape laws etc.) are appauling..
I have been to Swat.. (I am sure you have not!!!)... Cattle are treated better than women there.. Bringing this issue to the world stage living in Swat is a feat which not many could have done.. She did it, and nearly paid for speaking out with her life.. (or are you one of those who belive that she was never shot and this is all made up by the west?)...
MALALAH deserve all the credit.. hope she does make a difference in the long run
@Warsi: At her age; she is not even cured, in my estimate she needs to be in a European Reha clinic for at least six months( UK is known for such facilities).
Rex Minor
@Warsi here you go a mullah exagurating things totally out of proportion to try to make their point that GIRLS do not need an EDUCATION..
EDUCATION does not MEAN promoting Nudity and Vulgarity.. Stop preaching your HATERED for education here or anywhere else!!!
There are many others that are more deserving than Malala.
She deserves the honour! She is without any doubt the world ICON now. There are many who are expecting that the Norweigen Noble Prize Committee will most probably nominate her for the PEACE award as well, though she personaly states that she does not deserve it. But (touch wood) if this does occur, this will put her right in the middle of the political world of alligators many of whom for no justifiable reason were awarded the Noble Prize!! To place her equivalent to Mr Obama, who has caused nothing but insanity and destabilisisation and dysfunction of the Governments in muslim countries would be a travesty and she will be compelled to participate with others which I m sure no one from his country would wish. .
Rex Minor
They will use Malala to promote vulgarity & nudity and eventually all those girls who take dupatta will take it off.
Since she is all for human right, she should start talking about children (lets ignore the adults) murdered in drone strikes. Unfortunately, her dad did not let her touch the subject in her UN address. Anyways, i do hope she does not turn out to be another Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy. I can recall when liberals used to praise her and rejected the voice of sanity as conspiracy. Today, they wont even apologize for being rude. Heck they are nowhere to be found since media reported the helpless lady who was Sharmeened. Our country has either extremists or liberal zealots. The voice of sanity is always a rumor mill or a conspiracy in both kinds of breed.
Insha Allah there will be a human being (a Pakistani journalist) soon who will have the guts to make his salary purely halaal and who will reveal the truth about Zia-ul-Haq's crashed plane, 9/11, Benazir Bhutto's assassination (and her brother's) and last but not the least, Malala.
Very strong chances of her winning the Noble Peace prize as well. Congrats. In challenges lies the opportunities.
It does not suit the western powers to give Snowden a prize. But Malala serves the purpose I guess.
yeah right, with the help of USA, UK & EU.
what are her accomplishments by the way, other than bashing Pakistan in other countries.
This little girl is creating records after records. May be God has some plans for her and that is why he saved her. God took her so close to death and also gave a new life to her. Anyone else who would have faced death so close would have given up, but Malala has the courage to fight. This makes here exceptional, especially considering here age. I hope she continues what she is doing and does not become a politician. Congratulations to Malala.
do you all really believe this????? how shameful ....... plz use your minds .... if possible
Congratulations!!
If Malala Yousufzia will win the Nobel Peace Prize of 2013, it will not only brake the backbone of Taliban in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan.
@Ali: Hey jackass, I bet you would sell your own mother just to get a jab in at the big bad old US. I bet on top of it you are still waiting for your visa to come to the US. People like you are the reason this country is ruined.
We pakistanis and our ego will never accept the fact how bad our image is abroad..if one person (whatever through if she is drama, scam, controversy etc) is somehow giving Pakistan a bright name abroad and on international platform....what is the PROBLEM in that? Jeeez respect her!
@awais: There are hundreds of unnoticed Malalas but there is only one snowden.What has Malala lost after her diary?Nothing,infact she has gained everything whereas Snowden lost his everything,even he is forced to live an anonymous life.
@Ali: "Taliban – an entity we are not sure for its whereabouts"
You must be a Imran khan fan to say something like that. So you are not sure if Taliban exists or where they are? Gosh!
Congratulations to our little princess. Whole world loves her except a tiny minority of terrorists and their supporters.
@Ali: I totally agree with you. To assess the situation you need to use foresight and sense but not common sense.
Best
She is just being used, wait for the time when we import prime minister from UK for the greater good of the country. Snowden is of no match.
Malala is one of the few Pakistanis with sensible brain & I am proud of her.
I think the purpose of such global awards are baseless. There are few things which could not be marketed as global and universal product, for instance, the heroes and heroism. A hero for a state/country can be a villain for another. Consensus or agreements on such things is mere a reflection of being the powerful, and power determines the stability/justification of own throne.Yeah, it could be something measurable like scientific inventions. But emotional attachments and aesthetics could not be measured on a universal yard stick. Peace
Congratulations Malala :)
@awais.. Typical. whatever you do against the western power is an offence. why? and if you do something that suits them, like wishing them to conquer your homeland in your personal diary, is commendable.
Got nothing against Malala, but Snowden deserved it....
Hardly a competition although the ET headline suggest it was. Both are advocates of Human Rights and champions in their own way. Malala has beaten the atempt of the Taliban to silence her and Snowden has done the same with the US Governmemt. Kudos to both. Humanity truimphs!
There is no vote ..but had I got a chance my vote would hv surely gone for Malala for Nobel peace prize.. Way to go lady.. You deserve it.
-With love from India
A tight slap to pakistan and muslim world
Malala you are one of the few Pakistanis who makes us proud and happy. Live long Malala !
Malala, many congratulations to you. You showed the world what real Pakistanis are made of. You go girl!
Bravo!! Malala you are our Hero..way to go
this girl got a fake hype by the media. anyone who got a brain knows from where this girl is brought and why these countries giving her awards! just to continue this war in Pakistan. this girl likes twilight and Justin bieber isnt is amazing to listen??how this girl can know about them living in tribal areas???
Great for her. The vermin who shot her must be seething with rage at how their horrific actions opened up a world of opportunities for her that most people can only dream of.
Confusingly, her mother still isn't allowed to talk to other men though.
Malala u have made whole nation proud. One step in improving Pakistan's international outlook.
God bless you
Usually chatty Talkshows have developed tongue tie on Malala. So much for Independence of Media. Cowards!
what ever snowden did was an offence. And Malala had the gutts to stand against the Taliban. Big difference mate @ Ali
Congrats to Malala Yousafzai, on getting the EU human rights award. The brave Pakistani girl is the right recipient of the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought. US intelligence analyst Edward Snowden was no comparison to her.
I am very proud tht malala won, and its a moment of pride for this country. But i honestly feel Snowden should hve won .... He deserves it more :)
Way to go Malala.. :-) now use everything you can muster and get the women of Pakistan into Schools with Proper Education!!!!
She did not beat Snowden.. she has just won. Thanks to an influenced decision . Snowden deserved it. While Malla APPARENTLY fighting for the right of children's education against Taliban - an entity we are not sure for its whereabouts, Snowden has challenged the regime of a super power, defying the notions and unveiling the ugly practices of their spy games.
Ofcourse since they hate Snowden and love Malala. Proves her propaganda value status.
Malala on her way to touch the high sky! Very happy news!
What Snowden has done is very, very important, and he chose to give up his whole life for what he believed was a greater good; but I don't think he'd mind Malala winning. He's probably all for it :)
Queue the 'I hate Malala' comments!
Congratulations to Malala Yousafzai, on winning European Union’s human rights award (the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought). US intelligence analyst Edward Snowden was no comparison to brave Pakistani girl.
Congratulation Malala and her Parents. Great Job. God Bless You
Congratulation Malala and their Parents. Excellent Job. God Bless You
i m proud of this girl.and whole pakistan should be proud