Nila Ibrahimi, a 17-year-old won the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize for her extraordinary efforts in promoting singing after the Taliban-led government came into power. Nila beat off stiff competition from 165 nominees from 47 countries across the world and was acknowledged after spearheading a singing protest movement in her home country while continuing to inspire other Afghan girls to assert their rights and stand up to the injustices they face via public speaking and advocacy at global events.
According to Kids Rights, the advocacy group which honours daring personalities across the globe, Nila beat off stiff competition from 165 nominees from 47 countries across the world and was acknowledged after spearheading a singing protest movement in her home country while continuing to inspire other Afghan girls to assert their rights and stand up to the injustices they face via public speaking and advocacy at global events.
Who is Nila Ibrahimi? Daring journey
Nila Ibrahimi is a fearless advocate for the rights of girls in Afghanistan. She discovered the power of her voice amidst the Kabul Education Directorate’s discriminatory decision to ban schoolgirls from singing in public. Refusing to be silenced, Nila spearheaded a singing movement by recording herself singing a powerful protest song online. Her viral singing video in Afghanistan inspired thousands of girls to assert their rights and stand up against discrimination. Nila’s fearless vocal activism forced the then government of Afghanistan to repeal the discriminatory decision within 3 weeks.
Nila’s life changed dramatically when she was 14 as the Taliban took over Afghanistan. She fled with her family to Pakistan before moving to Canada. Since then, Nila has been actively advocating to safeguard the rights of girls from Afghanistan.
Nila advocates with various essential stakeholders in the fight for equal access to education for Afghan women and girls. Her advocacy efforts support over 4,000 girls in accessing alternative educational opportunities in Afghanistan. She has been the voice of Afghan girls at various events, including at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, the UK House of Lords, Canadian Women for Women of Afghanistan Montreal Summit and TED Vancouver.
“Her Story”
She was also recognised after co-founding “Her Story”, an initiative that provides a safe platform for Afghan girls to share their stories. Through Her Story, Nila has highlighted the potential and resilience of Afghan girls, both inside and outside of Afghanistan. She continues to fight for the education rights of all Afghan girls and women who are losing out on valuable schooling due to the discriminatory ban on their education.
Nila’s message to children worldwide is to seek opportunities and to support one another, as every story and voice holds the potential to inspire positive change. Her fight for the rights of girls has become even more important in recent times, after the Taliban has again imposed laws that ban girls and women in Afghanistan from speaking or singing in public places.
After receiving the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize, Nila, said: "Winning the International Children’s Peace Prize will mean that the voices of Afghan women and girls will echo across the world. We must all continue to give them strength and hope in the darkest of times."
International Children’s Peace Prize 2024
In its 20th anniversary year, the International Children’s Peace Prize ceremony offered a visual spectacle in De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam. It was attended by important dignitaries from across the world, such as: Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Ann Skelton (Chairperson for the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child), Tawakkol Karman (Nobel Peace Prize Laureate), 16 previous International Children’s Peace Prize laureates, representatives of institutions and NGOs from around the world.
After being awarded this year’s 20th International Children’s Peace Prize, Nila led a global singalong of her viral protest song to transmit her message across the world. She was joined by girls who sang live with her remotely across four continents, as well as a powerful strong choir. Her song was also distributed on platforms to reach millions of people and ensure the voices of Afghan girls were heard worldwide.
Members of the public in London, New York, Tokyo and Stockholm were also able to tune in to watch the dazzling ceremony from large screens in prominent locations, via a livestream of the event.
Marc Dullaert, Founder and Chair of the KidsRights Foundation said: “Women and girls across Afghanistan are currently facing unbearable oppression. The ban on schooling beyond primary education for girls, led to the exclusion of 80% of Afghan girls from schools, which is a staggering 2,5 million. Nila’s inspirational work to provide them with a voice that will be heard across the world makes her a truly worthy winner of this year’s 20th International Peace Prize.”
Also Read: A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan: Hollywood actress Meryl Streep at UN | WATCH
