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Zimbabwe
girls' rights activist wins World's Children's Prize
Louise Nordstrom,
Associated Press
April 14, 2007
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=nw20070413130419608C760960
Girls' rights activist
Betty Makoni of Zimbabwe was named the winner of the two main categories
of the annual World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child
yesterday.
Myanmar's Cynthia Maung
and India's Inderjit Khurana shared an honorary award.
The 1 million kronor
(US$145,000) award is split into three parts, and honors efforts
to better the lives of children worldwide. More than 5.2 million
children took part in this year's global vote of which all three
candidates received more than 1 million votes each, the award committee
said.
Makoni, founder
of the Girl Child
Network in Zimbabwe, was awarded the Global Friend's Award for
her work to help Zimbabwean girls escape trafficking, sexual abuse,
child labor and other assault.
She was also announced
winner of The World's Children's Prize, which is decided by a jury
of 15 children who have been exposed to child labor, war or poverty.
"I feel humbled,"
Makoni said as she was given flowers at a ceremony in Stockholm.
"This is the job I've always wanted to do."
Maung, who fled her native
country 18 years ago and runs a medical clinic in Thailand providing
free health care for refugee children, said it was one of the "most
beautiful days" in her life.
Khurana, honored for
starting the Ruchika organization that runs schools and nurseries
for poor children in India, received loud applause and said the
fight for children's rights must continue.
"I won't say it's
my dreams coming true, because dreams shouldn't come true that fast.
I have a long way to go and I have a great commitment," she
said.
The awards were set up
in 1999 by the Swedish Children's World Association to recognize
the outstanding contributions of those who defend youth rights.
Sweden's Queen Silvia
will host an awards ceremony for the winners at Gripsholm's castle
outside Stockholm on Monday.
Last year's
prize went to the Rwandan orphans' organization, The Association
of Orphan Heads of Households, the Canadian activist Craig Kielburger
and the Dalai Lama's sister, Jetsun Pema.
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