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NHS via EPA
Malala Yousufzai of Pakistan leaving Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Britain, on Jan. 4 after she was discharged. She will have to undergo specialist cranial surgery at a later date.
Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani girl who rose to international fame after the Taliban nearly killed her for her efforts to promote girls’ education, has been formally nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
Her name was put forward by three members of the Norwegian parliament from the ruling Labor Party on their website Friday, which was the deadline for nominations.
Malala’s name was put forward because of "her courageous commitment to the right of girls to education. A commitment that seemed so threatening to the extremists that they chose to try and kill her," said parliamentarian Freddy de Ruiter on the Labor party web site.
De Ruiter made the nomination with fellow members of parliament Gorm Kjernli and Magne Rommetveit.
Malala was attacked in October with two other girls while traveling home from school in Pakistan’s Swat valley. The gunman boarded the van and asked for her by name before firing three shots at her — singling her out for writing a blog that criticized the Taliban for barring girls for getting an education.
A week later, Malala was flown to a hospital in the UK for treatment. She is now facing a final major surgery to place a titanium plate over the hole left in her skull. While in the hospital she has received thousands of messages from well-wishers around the world, and continued to speak out on behalf of her cause, becoming a global icon.
The Norwegian MPs said they believed that Malala was "a worthy winner for many reasons. She has become an important symbol in the fight against destructive forces that want to prevent democracy, equality and human rights."
She was also reportedly nominated by members of parliament in France, Spain and Canada. NBC News has not confirmed that information.
To be sure, it is very early in the Nobel process, which culminates with a winner in October.
The Stockholm-based Nobel Foundation, which has been awarding Nobel awards for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace since 1901, said 231 names were submitted for the Peace Prize last year, including 41 organizations.
Nominations can be made only by a select group of people worldwide, including national lawmakers, university presidents and previous Nobel winners.
Malala Yousafzai, 15, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for refusing to bow to pressure by extremists who don't want girls in Pakistan to receive an education. The winner will be announced in October. NBC's Lester Holt has more.
The foundation does not disclose the names of nominees until 50 years later. However, those who name the candidates sometimes disclose them, as in Malala’s case.
Among other reported nominees for the 2013 prize are Belarusian human rights activist Ales Belyatski, who is in jail, and Russian Lyudmila Alexeyeva.
The list of prior Nobel Peace Prize recipients is populated with presidents and large organizations — including UNICEF, Doctors without Borders, and the European Union in 2012 — and storied individuals, such as the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa and Nelson Mandela.
If Malala were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, she would be the youngest by far and one of just 15 female recipients.
The average age of the 100 individuals is 62, according to the Nobel foundation. The youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate so far is Yemeni journalist Tawakkol Karman, who was 32 when he was awarded the honor in 2011.
Related:
Video: Next hurdle for Malala after Taliban attack: Skull surgery
Video: Outpouring of support for Pakistani teen attacked by Taliban
Leave a Comment:
I'd vote yes..
I second that, hope she gets it.
All I see is a girl being exploited and used as a propaganda tool just like Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman. Just think; if the 16 year old boy that was killed by a drone while documenting drone attacks themselves didn't die...would he be considered a Nobel prize candidate for protesting that kind of oppression? Doubtful.
http://prcsd.org/resources/must-read/us-drone-kills-16-year-old.html
You might as well give the prize to drone with the most kills.
She deserves it far more than Obama did when they handed it to him in 2009. As far as I am concerned the recent Peace Prize awards have been far more about making political statements than having anything to do with the actual actions of the recipients. Maybe this girl winning it would be seen as a political statement against the Taliban as well, but at least she has actually done something to warrant being nominated.
I hope she wins. She is truly deserving of the honor. It would drive the Taliban crazy, I don't know if it wouldn't make her a bigger target though.
What in the world is wrong with you people? This girl went through some rather traumatic experience being shot, but, how does this constitute her being considered for the Nobel Peace Prize?? Are you all out of your minds?
Sure, that prize does not mean much anymore since it was awarded to Dumbama for who knows what.
This girl is not at all deserving of the Nobel Prize for anything she did or did not do. You, the Americans who write on this blog, need to research and read what this prize was established for. I bet that 99.9% of these morons writing here have no frigging clue what this was all about when it was established.
So, go and find out what the Nobel Peace Prize and its award is supposed to mean. After you figure that out, come back and revise these idiotic comments here.
She deserves it! The prize money could help her family move to a safe place, although I don't know if she wants to leave her country.
Brave little girl.... Congress could take lessons from her.
Take away the prize from Obama. Isn't he ashamed of sharing the podium with the likes of Mother Teresa, or Martin Luther King who were actually symbols of peace and humanity.
It would be a dishonor to give the same political prize to a brave girl like Malala who stood against Taliban in the most brutal region of Pakistan.
Leaving retarded politics out of this- I think she does deserve it for her humanitarian efforts in bringing about awareness to the struggles that girls like her go through. Grown men feared her. They feared her and were angry with her because she simply wanted an education and an education for all young girls and women. She stood up to men who embrace ignorance for the sake of a religion. That takes some serious guts that I know many here would never have.
they are also considering hillary clinton for the prize too................. unbelievable. shipwrecked is right though, but if i had to choose between the two , i sure as hell would not pick hillary. geeze.
Shipwrecked, it is clear that you just like to type. Your words don't have to make any sense..there just needs to be a lot of them.
The second I read " Dumbama " I knew that you were a 6th grade drop out who probably married his sister so I should cut you some slack.
Look here dufus, it is CLEAR you could not be bothered to actually know anything about what you want to talk about.
"done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congress."
Now Einstein, tell us all again how she does not qualify for the award?
No wait..better yet..STFU!
"Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani girl who rose to international fame after the Taliban nearly killed her for her efforts to promote girls’ education, has been formally nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize."
This is known as inventing the problems and then do dramas or start solutions from the tail end.
British invented Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, the fountainheads of Islamic extremism!
US, British and allies have kept them on the map with all sorts of excuses.
Oil rich Sunni rulers and sheikhs of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and other Sunni Arab League nations have invented the most extreme Sunni Islamic extremists, Salaffi and Wahhabi; exported them through their Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques and have been sustaining them by funding.
Taliban, al Qaida, MB, Boko Haram and other labels Islamic extremists are the net results of their actions.
Pakistan has been providing foot soldiers to them!
Whom are the Norwegians, French, Canadians and others trying to fool?
Man, keep the stupid political rhetoric to any of the other 15,000 threads on Newsvine. Why do you have to drag that @!$%# here too? It's freaking infantile that you'd use this girl's nomination as a chance spray a little piss over on Obama. Grow up guys.
She's not being nominated because she was shot. She's been nominated because ever since she was a child she's been fighting tooth and nail so that little girls like herself can receive an education despite the fact that it can and almost did cost her her life.
We are always cracking jokes here on the 'vine on how Islam is stuck 800 years in the past. Well this girl was attempting to change that. Why would you want to cheapen that effort by comparing her to Obama as just another undeserved award? If she wins, I can almost bet you she'll use the prize money to further that effort. So yeah, in my opinion for her fight for basic human rights, she deserves it.
Nice post Chris and covers it all, Jonathans solution based on really general intolerance of whole groups of people seems to be take them off the map?? This is the same menatality of suicide bombers and the Taliban. Johnny, maybe you need to join them..........
I'd certainly give the Nobel Peace Prize to this girl over giving it to Obama - especially when there was such a dichotomy between his fancy rhetoric and his actions (drone attacks, Afghan 'surge', etc.).
Giving that award to Obama because of a false rhetorical speech has forever cheapened the 'Peace Prize'.
Well said Jeff N.-1053549 and Chris from Yucaipa
shipwrecked as usual you display the intellect of a tapeworm.
If I was voting who to give the prize to it would definitely be Malala, not for being shot but for trying to further a girls right to an education in a backward country. The scary part of that country is the US has provided them weapons and money for years and yet they continually snub their nose at us when we suggest ways they could improve security.
Jonathan@1.11...Are you saying that Canada is not an Ally?
Absolutely! Just like standing up against conservatives here in America.
The girl needs to be commended for her bold actions. However, I am no longer sure about the Nobel peace prize award. What is it for. There should be deserving candidates who actually fight for peace. All the nominations I see recently are activists or one who works on social causes or politicians or Obama ( sorry I can't take a pass, although I voted for him for President ). Maybe it is time they create an award for social cause. The money helps but the award itself has been dumbed down.
Don't stress over him Tinbashr, his posts frequently range from conspiracy theories to extremely racist with a stop at criminally insane in between. It's also clear that Jonathan and Mycorner know nothing about Malala outside of this article, and the author of this article made a mistake too. Mycorner how do all her actions prior to the assassination not justify the nomination and clearly show she was fighting for peace?
Kari, please remove this from your article it is just factually incorrect and creates a misunderstanding about her nomination, thank you.
The entire statement that Jonathan and Mycorner are basing their arguments on is false, and the author Kari Huus who usually does a great job really dropped the ball with this statement. It makes it appear as though she wasn't famous before the assassination attempt. Malala lived in Pakistan, in 2009 the BBC located in London began publishing her blog to draw attention to the injustices of the Taliban and the importance of education for girls, CNN also frequently re-published it. There's the beginning of her international fame. In October 2011 she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize, there's a no-brainer piece of evidence for her international fame and human rights activism. After her nomination the Taliban began sending threats and warnings to her in December. In the summer of 2012 the Taliban released a public statement calling for her assassination, and on October 9, 2012 the Taliban shot her in the head and wounded two other girls as they rode the school bus. She was internationally famous and even nominated for a peace prize long before she was shot, which is why Jonathan obviously knows nothing about Malala and why Kari should remove that line from her article.
The real reason she is nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize is because of all her public activism prior to the assassination attempt, because her fighting to survive the assassination attempt inspired an entire country to publicly demonstrate and call for justice against the Taliban for one of the first times ever, and because even with offers of living under protection in a western country she maintains the willpower and courage to choose to live in Pakistan because she wants to become a Politician and a Doctor. How in the world could you not nominate her or not understand why she was nominated?
Malala deserves the honour in every respect.She is pushing the cause of women education.She is very young and in this age she is braving the wrath of the beastly forces the taliban.She does not have much resouces at her hands but steadfast and determined to fight for a loved cause.
Azmat Khan, well said. Don't be discouraged by some of the people posting here, they are only uneducated on Malala's accomplishments and her bright future. Even as an American, she inspires me and has shown me the courage that I never need to hide from anything.
riverboy21: Uneducated, half-educated or Islamic educated can't see overall picture!
Even when twisting facts and realities, they look too dumb!
ROY WILSON.....you never tired of squatting and giving your usual crap on these boards do you.....tell us the one about you being an independent again.....while you sip your tea.
The girl deserves serious consisderation for the honor. Her story was well known before she was shot. A girl that young...taking such a dangerous stance against a group of killers.....amazing.
Uneducated religious nuts? Sounds like the Taliban infiltrated the Republican Party. Here they don't want to kill women, they just want them jailed for profit.
Shipwrecked:
Ok, then the better Candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize is: Iran's Ahdinemajad---yes, he's always trying to make World Peace.
ROY WILSON an independent, that has to be the funniest thing I have read all day. He's as far right as one can be.
@riverboy21
Very well stated, sir.
Riverboy21@ 1.20...Thanks...And greetings from THE GREAT WHITE NORTH!...
Kevin D-289686 "ROY WILSON.....you never tired of"
So I can't possibly be 'Independent' because I think Obama didn't deserve the Nobel 'Peace' Prize???????
And the reason that you think ALL Independent thinkers MUST agree with Obama is because ?????????
Let's see now - I didn't vote for Bush or McCain, so I must be 'as far right as one can be'???????
Curious logic.
Give her the prize.
Yes sir.. Pained1.... I agree... Anyone who is "anti Taliban" is "pro democracy" By God's grace she is responsible for the grass roots movement for the education of women everywhere and to speak against openly the violence of Taliban terror. She was nearly martyred ( a true martyr) for this ideal... I not only wish her a speedy recovery and the Nobel Peace Prize but It is also my prayer that what was started by Malala is championed by us.
She definitely deserves it! This will send a big message to those Taliban bastards.....
Dude: do you think they actually read?
Give her the prize while at the same time providing aid $ and F-16 planes to the biggest terrorist unit of the world , the rogue Pakistani army , which funnels it to the Taliban to shoot at Malala's. Let the game go on.
Don't worry!
Experts in losing wars or starting wrong wars like Kerry, John McCain, Clintons, Netanyahus, Christian right nuts, lobbyists will continue to control events.
So Pakistan will continue to be a "strategic ally" despite all sorts of "irresponsible actions" in Afghanistan and other places.
Gen Mush, the biggest backstabber and criminal will continue to be a honored guest in Britain and will continue his lecture tour in the US.
As Iran has dangerous WMDs and Syria chemical weapons, there will be sanctions on Iranian oil as a first step.
And then as NATO ally Toorkey/Pigkey is hurt badly, there will be Syrian intervention!
Let us know, if you have some better ideas on how to hide or run while attacked as in Afghanistan, Iraq or Benghazi, as the experts like John McCain, Clintons, Bushes, and others will be hiding in basements or hitting the ceiling.
In the US, there will be "cliffs", "spending cuts", "are loans of 16 trillion dollars enough?", "battles on welfares" and so on!
She is a living martyr and the Talibans worst nightmare. She has my vote and this would be a person who would positively impact the world for a lifetime..........
Not as long as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are on world map!
Rest are wishful thinking and hope and against hope!
What a great move. I hope she gets it. Her example will be such a wonderful model for women and girls everywhere. Maybe mothers who didn't get a chance at an education will be able to lobby for their daughter's sake, and young women can carry on in Malala's footsteps. I don't think Obama deserved the peace prize, but this young teenager - you bet.
What an oxymoron!
Many (politicians, lobbyists and their agents, some religious nuts) with big words are dancing around with seventh century desert robes around most bigoted autocratic House of Saud and his 5000 princes and princess!
If they don’t get them, then any oil rich Sunni ruler is good enough!
Oil rich ME Sunni rulers have torn many nations into too many pieces and left debris. Pakistan is one example.
One piece somewhere is picked as a model of resistance!
In the same breath, some ignoring the root of most of the mess in the world, are talking about Malala and her contributions and need for Nobel Peace Prize.
Not to bust any-one's bubble, but the nominations for prizes are officially kept secret for 50 years. Any nominator who releases their nominee is violating the spirit of the process. Anyway, the prize has become nothing more than a political promotion. This announcement proves it.
NO! I am NOT saying what the young woman did, and suffered for, was not unbelievably admirable!
While I think she is a brave girl to stand up with her confictions, I fully agree with your comment, about what the prize has become.
Helluva lot more deserving than a certain Nobel Peace Prize winner whom will go nameless.
AMEN....I am with you jk-2016265
After the announcement of Obama's award, I went to the Nobel site and reviewed the rules. The rules were blatantly violated to ensure Obama being awarded the prize. Within a few days the Nobel site had hidden all access to the rules that were then in effect.
A very important aspect of the award---it is not WON! It is AWARDED! A big difference!
Malala certainly deserves it, especially much, much more than the U.N. or Obama!
She deserves it more than Barry did.
The real threat in the US is not terrorists spreading violence, but a shady force that eats us from within. The Tealiban has done more to damage US interests than anyone using guns and bombs. It would be best if Talibaggers actually made good on their threats to leave America permanently, establishing their own little world somewhere. You wouldn't want to live there, and it wouldn't even be a nice place to visit.
I'm glad to see that Obama is continuing in Bush's foot steps and killing as many Muslims as he can.
Really, Obama seems to be dragging his butt in retaliating for the Benghazi attack. He's still waiting for the FBI to safely start their investigation...............
Malala is deserving of more than just a prize. She risked her own life for that of others. I just wonder how many teens or adults for that matter in the United States would do the same. I pray for her and that her life from here on out to be blessed and without drama and violence.
Wait...some people EARN their Nobel Prize? Wow! Earned it...deserves it. Paid the price.
Take this as an example, Baracky...give yours back.
If I were Obama, I would be embarrassed. This girl deserves recognition. Obama deserves a kick in the azz. She has more guts and integrity than he ever will.
She has more guts and integrity in her little finger than Obama, who apparently got the prize for being elected president of the United States, for his lack of skill, service and integrity
Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani girl, deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for taking a public stand on the rights of girls to an education. She deserves it even more now, because the Taliban tried to kill her for her opinion, shooting her in the head, and because now that she is recovering she still supports education for females.
And to the writer who calls himself "who is the man?" your comments reveal your misogyny. Misogynist means hater of women. There is no comparison between the drone killing of a random boy in the company of a murderous, extremist cult, and a targeted assassination attempt on a girl at her school because she heroically supports the rights of females to education. I feel sorry for you because you are so hate-filled and ignorant. I feel sorry for the world because there are too many like you.
Ok I understand they tried to kill her for trying to promote girls’ education, but that does NOT qualify her for some Nobel Peace Prize....
So she spoke up for girls education, does not mean she did anything special.... Heck my Family and I, Native American born and raised have helped hundreds of people.... Fed the homeless with out of pocket money, no donations or help.... Cleaned alley ways and helped out with a Program called Girls Inc. ....
Helped jobless find jobs, and we still do not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize....
This girl just deserves a Thank you, now go home....
You must have liked your own post. She promoted education of girls KNOWING it would make her a target. If you did what you claim, thank-you for that. Did anyone threaten to kill you for it and actually try to do it?
or do it in middle eastern or central asian country
and YES quovadisusa, my family and I were threatened by the gang bangers and drug dealers there....
My wife and 2 little girls still did our job to help our Cities neighborhoods.... We went out rain or shine, and we never called police or reported anyone.... We just went out and TRY to do our part to help the Earth....
My eldest daughter was 8 then, asked, "papa why do they act mean, and make a mess not caring"? I told her, "hey, not everyone was raised up in a nice home with loving parents and family".... If you have the Power to make a difference, then you also have that Responsibility to make that difference....
But that still does NOT qualify me or my family for a Noble Peace Prize.... And this young girl, regardless of her bad situation, does not deserve it either....
Shelter
Bitter much?
Shelter: Yes, I agree a Native American must someday be nominated for the Nobel Prize but right now I believe this young girl is very deserving of the award. She is just so brave to stand up again the Taliban and promote education for all the girls in her country. Just wish her good luck.
A case of sour grapes Shelter ? Somehow I don't think that you've been threatened with beheading or with the real possibility of acid being thrown in your eyes just because you want to learn how read and get an education. You should be happy for her and hope that you'll be recognised for your good works rather than show your pettiness and envy. How pathetic, how sad.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ......................... Obama....Ha ha ha ha ha....
I would not support this unless I knew that she supported freedom of speech for the rest of us too. How about for Salman Rushdie and the people who cartooned Mo and for people who want to quit Islam?
Child, please......
Child or not, giving her a world level platform to denounce the freedom of speech of others would be a bad mistake.
MelJM: How about waiting till AFTER she has come out denouncing freedom of speech for those who disagree with her to criticize her for it.
The only reason she is nominated is because she was shot and severely injured. Yes, she has been trying to get better education for women in her country, but has she been successful in changing anything? NO! She is still a child and has great potential to make change, but she needs to be allowed to heal now. When she becomes a woman, I look forward to seeing great things from her, but so far she hasn't made changes and she has only been attacked. Remember, the Taliban vowed to "finish the job" and kill her.
she has made changes , read of the events that followed her shooting . ever hear that a child shall lead them? IM ALL FOR HER RECIEVING THE AWARD.
I find it hilarious---or I would find it hilarious, were it not so tragic---that this girl was shot because she advocated for education for women, when Aisha, the beloved wife of Mohammad, whom the Muslim fanatics claim to respect (actually they worship him, but they don't claim that) was one of the most highly educated PEOPLE (of either gender) in the World of the day. Aisha received her education AFTER, not before she became his wife. Therefore it was with his consent and, probably, paid for by him.
Ludicrous!
I feel like she was used too but she has been through a lot and can have the Nobel Peace Prize. What I think of is where will she live if al-Qaeda is after her. And if she is not going back to Pakistan, who will she be with. She must want to date and things like that. It sounds kind of lonely for her.
I doubt they date there. They are really oppressed.
I think she will become depressed and sad. She must want to go home and now she can not. I think the whole thing happened to fast and she never got to make a decision in it. I wonder if she will be kept safe for the rest of her life or will she have to take care of herself. I wonder if al-Qaeda will go after her when she is known to of settled down somewhere. Maybe al-Qaeda will just leave her alone and she can live a normal life in Europe or something.
I admire the work she was doing in the face of danger. I cannot think of any one more deserving of the peace prize. On a second note, being injured has touched many people in in the world and has is an inspiration to stand up to terrorist.
Give it to her at least she could help restore some honor for being awarded the Nobel Prize. Unlike President Obama and the EU disgraceful
If chosen, this young lady will stand on the shoulders of giants, like Barak Hussein Obama, who received the peace prize for what?
I mean no disrespect to this young lady. The Nobel prize means nothing now after giving it to Obama.
Well.He did end two wars. Duh.
He ended two wars? Which ones were those?
The ones Bush started with lies.
A number of posters have criticized the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama and a couple have mentioned Carter. I don't disagree, but what REALLY rankles with me is the awarding of said Nobel Peace Prize to Yassar Arafat. Obama and Carter really didn't DO anything to deserve the prize, but Arafat worked AGAINST peace, while padding his personal bank account with many millions of $$$ monies given to the Palistinians for their general benefit. On the other hand, Malala has actually done something. Maybe and maybe not what she has done rises to the level of deserving the prize, she, nevertheless, has actually done something unlike the other three and especially Arafat.
Obama did not end any wars. He continued the existing wars on the logical path which was already started in the Bush administration. The draw down in Iraq was already in process before Obama even took office and it took him another year and a half to complete it and we're still fighting in Afghanistan 4 YEARS after he took office. I guess we should be thankful that he is not an idiot and has listened to his military advisors and moved forward the way any other politician who became president would have done.