Hira Akbar is among six shortlisted out of 200 students across the world for the award
After renowned Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who has received the International Children’s Peace Prize 2013, another talented girl from Swat has been nominated for for the International Children’s Peace Prize by KidsRights Foundation.
KidsRights Foundation – an international organisation advocating for child rights around the globe has nominated fourteen-year-old Hira Akbar belonged to Saidu Sharif, Swat.
Hira Akbar has become the second student from Swat district after Malala Yousafzai to be nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize for Work against Corporal Punishment.
Hira Akbar is a resident of Swat and endeavour’s for the protection of children’s rights. She is a speaker of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), actively trying to raise awareness about challenges posed to children’s rights.
She is also a member of her school’s debating club and has participated in a campaign against corporal punishments. While talking to media she said I will continue my struggle for the rights of my fellow students in the district who had to leave education due to corporal punishments.
She regularly holds campaigns in this regard, raising awareness of the issue, and also helps report incidents involving such punishments to the authorities.
The international KidsRights Foundations awards the International Children’s Peace Prize annually to a child who has fought courageously for children’s rights.
This year the organisation has announced a record number of 151 nominees from 55 countries for the award. 8 of the nominees are from Pakistan, with two of them belonging to Swat district.
The organisation will announce the names of three finalists on November 15. The winner will be announced on December 4 and presented the award by a Nobel Peace Laureate in the Hall of Knights in The Hague in Netherlands.
International Children’s Peace Prize carries a cash value of 100,000 euros ($133,000) that is invested in projects relating to the winner’s cause.