Teenager fights to make women’s voices heard
Nila Ibrahimi, the seventeen-year-old Afghan who fights for the rights of girls in Afghanistan, received the 2024 International Children’s Peace Prize, which was presented to her during a ceremony at the De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, attended among others by Ann Skelton (President of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child), Tawakkol Karman (Nobel Peace Prize winner), representatives of institutions and NGOs from all over the world. The award previously went to climate activist Greta Thunberg and girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai.
Ibrahimi received the honor for her “courageous work fighting for girls’ rights in Afghanistan, where women are silenced by oppressive rules established by the Taliban.” The girl led a singing protest movement in her country, where women are not allowed to make their voices heard. She was also recognized for founding “Her Story,” an initiative that provides a safe platform for Afghan girls to share their stories.
Through Her Story, Nila highlighted the potential and resilience of Afghan girls, both inside and outside Afghanistan to continue fighting for the right to education of all Afghan girls and women.
“Winning the International Children’s Peace Prize – declared Nila Ibrahimi – means that the voices of Afghan women and girls will resonate throughout the world. We must all continue to give them strength and hope in the darkest moments”. Malala Yousafzai expressed her congratulations to Ibrahimi: “I am so proud of you for resisting the Taliban and for fighting for the education of Afghan girls. Your courage is an inspiration to girls and an example for the leaders of the whole world.”
