The Nobel Peace Prize has been regarded as the highest reward on human morality. This year prize is to be awarded to two fighters on human rights, who spare no efforts to protect children and youth from suppression and actively fight for the rights of children. According to the press release of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, 60% of the present population in the poor countries of the world is under 25 years of age. Children must go to school and not be financially exploited. It is a prerequisite for peaceful global development that the rights of children and young people be respected. In conflict-ridden areas in particular, the violation of children leads to the continuation of violence from generation to generation.

​This year’s Peace Prize has two winners. One of them is Kailash Satyarthi, a leading person of human rights movement in India. He, following Gandhi’s tradition on “Nonviolent Conflict”, has spearheaded various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, targeting those grave exploitation of children for financial gain. He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children’s rights.

​Another winner is Malala Yousafzay, a Pakistan young girl aged 17. She is the youngest winner of Peace Prize. She has been fighting for the education right of girls, despite under the most dangerous circumstances. The Committee thinks that she has shown by example that children and young people can contribute to improving their own situations.

​They receive the award representing that people in our world value children’s rights. However, we should not forget that Malala is still facing the killing threat from Taliban, hundreds of Nigerian girls are still being abducted by extremist organizations, and the young students in Venezuela are inflicted by bloody suppression and cruel torture upon peaceful petition several months ago. In numerous conflicts and disputes around the world, children and the youth are still the first to be affected, or mauled, or killed, or abducted, or cooped up, or recruited as child shoulders. They may even be cruelly injured during peaceful protest.

​This year is the 25th anniversary of the adoption of “Convention on the Rights of the Child”. Children and the youth are not just the hope of our future, but also the transforming power of the world. We must offer good protection to them.

Resources: The Nobel Peace Prize

Meditation on Scriptures: 

“The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgement.
He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
(Psalm 9: 7-9)

Pray for our young generation:

• Pray that our Heavenly Father will protect those children and youth in conflicts and disputes, deliver them from the wicked and evil men, be their shelter and give them peace.
• Pray that God will give us courage and love to protect the children at risk according to His teaching of love and justice, and that we actively take part in all kinds of ministry on improving the rights of children.