SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Malala receives top Amnesty award

Bono will present Amnesty's highest honour to Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen shot in the head last year by the Taliban.

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

Amnesty International has awarded its highest honour to Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen shot in the head last year by the Taliban for campaigning for girls' education.

Malala will share the 2013 Ambassador of Conscience Award with American singer and human rights activist Harry Belafonte, the London-based NGO revealed.

The award, which recognises "individuals who have promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights through their life and by example," will be presented by Irish rock singer Bono at a ceremony in Dublin on Tuesday.

"Our two new Ambassadors of Conscience are different from each other in many ways, but they share a dedication to the fight for human rights everywhere and for all," said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

"Harry and Malala are truly Ambassadors of Conscience, speaking up for universal rights, justice and human dignity and inspiring others to follow their example."

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban on a school bus last October, an attack that drew worldwide condemnation.

She was flown to Britain for surgery for her head injuries and returned to school in Birmingham in March.

The 16-year-old said she was "truly honoured" to receive the award.

"I would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone that there are many millions of children like me across the world who fight every single day for their right to go to school," she added.

"I hope that by working together we will one day realise our dream of education for every child, in every corner of the world."


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world