An Afghan teenager living in Canada, who recorded her voice singing in protest against the Taliban regime, has won the International Children’s Peace Prize. The award was presented on Tuesday in Amsterdam by the KidsRights organisation.
Seventeen-year-old Nila Ibrahimi follows in the footsteps of environmental activist Greta Thunberg and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai in receiving this prestigious honour.
The organisers stated during the award ceremony in Amsterdam that Nila Ibrahimi, originally from Afghanistan and now residing in Canada, bravely fights for the rights of girls and women in her home country.
As explained by KidsRights, the Dutch foundation that promotes children’s rights and spearheads this initiative, by recording a powerful protest song that went viral online, she continues to inspire other Afghan women to claim their rights and speak out against the injustices they face by raising their voices publicly and advocating their cause at international events.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have enforced an extremely strict interpretation of Islamic law. Women and girls have been particularly affected, facing bans on education beyond primary school, entry to parks, gyms, or beauty salons, and restrictions on leaving their homes without a male escort.
In March 2021, when Kabul’s education department issued a directive banning girls over 12 from singing publicly, 13-year-old Nila Ibrahimi recorded herself performing a traditional song. Her brother uploaded the video to social media to encourage other girls to stand up for their education and rights.
The video went viral, sparking widespread protests that led to the ban being overturned by the Afghan government within three weeks. However, since last summer, a moral law has prohibited Afghan women from speaking loudly in public.
The United Nations has described this situation as “gender apartheid,” but the Taliban government rejects such criticism, calling it “baseless” and “propaganda spread by a handful of women in exile.”
Nila Ibrahimi said shortly after receiving the award that winning the International Children’s Peace Prize amplifies the voices of Afghan women and girls across the world. “We must all continue to give them strength and hope in their darkest moments.”
Five days after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, Nila and her family fled to Pakistan. She now lives in Canada, where she co-founded Her Story, an initiative providing a safe platform for young Afghan girls to share their experiences.
Nila explained to AFP that usually these stories are told by people who don’t truly understand what it means to be a girl in Afghanistan, and that they want to give them a chance to tell their stories themselves.
Nila Ibrahimi was selected from 165 nominees representing 47 countries. The award was presented by Yemeni journalist and human rights activist Tawakkol Karman, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
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Source: CNA
