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.

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.


http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/01/16811670-malala-teen-champion-of-girls-rights-nominated-for-nobel-peace-prize?lite

To add to the above story, she has been operated and seems to be in a stable condition. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham confirmed that Malala Yousufzai, 15, underwent cranial reconstruction and cochlear implantation procedures yesterday and they are happy with her progress.

The teenager required the fitting of a custom-made titanium plate to repair damage to her skull, as well as a cochlear implant to help her recover hearing in her left ear. According to the Doctor, it could take "between 15 and 18 months" for any hearing to recover in her left ear.

Malala escaped death by a matter of inches when she was shot on October 9 last year - as the bullet entered just above her left eye and ran along her jaw - "grazing" her brain.

Despite the near death experience, She's incredibly determined to continue to speak for her cause.

I pray for her speedy recovery and looking forward to her clinching the Nobel Peace Prize for 2013... She deserves it, she also deserve our good wishes and prayers...

courageous child....God bless her!

Fantastic nomination. She's really been through hell. I hope she's not targeted for the rest of her life...we all know how these extremists can be relentless.

JeSoul: Fantastic nomination. She's really been through hell. I hope she's not targeted for the rest of her life...we all know how these extremists can be relentless.

Gracias Muchas

good for her, just wish her well in her endeavors in life.

Damn!

I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize/Nomination....

Maxymilliano:

Gracias Muchas

de nada sir . Thanks for submitting a nice topic.

She deserve it

i hope she wins

Eyah,may God bless her..

Nobel Peace Prize is pretty much useless these days.

I realy hope she win so as to send message to dos xtremists pashtun hidin under d cloak of religion to perpretrate violence.

I guess i can win a Nobel peace prize too!

Prof Corruption: Nobel Peace Prize is pretty much useless these days.

esp wen Obomber won it last 3 years. Dat guy never deserve it dat year

Good for her, she deserves it.

Quite courageous of her,i hope she clinch the award,she really deserve it.
Wish her speedy recovery.

This girl has the spirit I so much admire. Some people have the zeal to impact their world and will do even if they are thrown into a pit. I pray she recovers and contiune to speak for the women there. She might just be the person who would change the system of things in Pakistan.

Um!!! @ 15 she already have a voice to stand against evil men can a Nigeria girl make that happen ?

I really wish I could run media and publicity for the Taliban, they shoot themselves in the foot with virtually every move they make.

FXKing2012: But is she not too young for this? Why is the Nobel prize c'mttee being sentimental?

I mean what has she really done to deserve this? Just because she got shot by the Taliban while campaigning for the girl-child education in Pakistan? What about all those shot in Mexico while campaigning against gun violence or those shot in New York for speaking against gangs and drug cartels?

I'm sure the Nobel prize c'mttee just want to spite the Taliban by this action.

I'm sure she doesnt even know the history of Nobel prize and what it really represents.

Thank you very much.


I am not a muslim but this is pure western propaganda.

The girl can win awards for her bravery but not a nobel peace prize! C'mon!

Cool down...there is nothing wrong with the nomination. She does not need to know what its about. Those killed in mexico and usa may be one in thousands...but she is definitely one in a million!!!

yavo2: Cool down...there is nothing wrong with the nomination. She does not need to know what its about. Those killed in mexico and usa may be one in thousands...but she is definitely one in a million!!!

What did she do that hasnt been done before? Mtchew

she is Afghani by ethnicity.

Logicboy03:

What did she do that hasnt been done before? Mtchew

Logic Boy, pls educate me by telling me 15 years old girl that have done what she did, especially in hostile climates where you contend with extremist

She may seem young to be nominated for such global award but to every rule there's exception, she did what she did without any consideration whatsoever for any award.

Maxymilliano:

Logic Boy, pls educate me by telling me 15 years old girl that have done what she did, especially in hostile climates where you contend with extremist

She may seem young to be nominated for such global award but to every rule there's exception, she did what she did without any consideration whatsoever for any award.

W[i]hat did she do? Please, kindly explain in details.[/i]