Nobel Peace Prize 2014 for education activists - Humanity House
15 December 2014

Nobel Peace Prize 2014 for education activists

Peace prize

Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is attributed to people who are praiseworthy for their contribution to the promotion of peace. The prize is presented in Oslo. The award includes a money prize that is made available through the estate of Alfred Nobel. Nobel stated in his will that the interest from his capital must be given to five Nobel laureates each year on the date of his death (December 10). In his will, he stipulated that the prizes must go to those who in the preceding year have done the most or best work for humanity.

On December 10th, the Nobel Peace Prize 2014 was awarded jointly to education activists Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi. The story of the young Pakistani Malala is known worldwide. But what do we know of the 60 year old Indian Kailash Satyarthi?

Kailash Satyarthi has been fighting his whole life for children’s rights, especially against child slavery and for the right to education for everyone. With his organisation Bachpan Bachao Andolan, established in 1980, he has already saved some 80.000 children from unhealthy or dangerous mines, factories, sweatshops and brothels. During the  invasions of these work places, Satyarthi himself also regularly received blows.

Children belong in school
‘Save childhood’ is the literal translation of Satyarthi’s organisation Bachpan Bachao Andolan. He believes that children belong in school and therefore, along with Action Aid, Oxfam and Education International, he founded the  Global Campaign for Education in 1999, of which he was also chairman until 2011. This worldwide movement of development organizations, unions, scholars and education activists, with branches in some 100 countries, applies pressure through lobbying and campaigns for the goals of Education for All.

Education Crisis
The Nobel Peace Prize for education activists Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi comes at a crucial time. The right to education is enjoyed by far from everyone. 250 million children worldwide (that is 40% of all elementary school-aged children!) remain illiterate because they receive little or poor education. Despite this crisis in education, international support for education has declined in recent years. This threatens the chance of a better future, especially for children in the poorest countries.

This is a summary of an article on Oneworld.nl. More information about the Global Campaign for Education (English) . Oxfam (Novib) has worked for years (Dutch) with Kailash.

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