The International Children’s Peace Prize is presented annually to an exceptional child, whose courageous or otherwise remarkable acts and thoughts have made a difference in countering problems, which affect children around the world. The prize is an initiative of the Dutch organisation KidsRights and was launched during 2005 Nobel Peace Laureates’ Summit by Mikhail Gorbachev.
Each year the International Children’s Peace Prize Laureate is selected from nominations from all over the wo
rld. An Expert Committee assesses the candidates and then selects the winner. The prize money of €100,000 that is attached to the Children´s Peace Prize, is spent by KidsRights on projects that are closely connected to the winners’ area of work.
The first Children’s Peace Prize was dedicated posthumously to Nkosi Johnson, for his work to offer a more dignified existence to South African children with HIV and
AIDS. In 2006, the honour went to Om Prakash Gurjar from India. He received the prize from Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of South Africa F.W. De Klerk, for his unceasing work to combat child labour and liberate child slaves in India. In 2007, the honour fell to Thandiwe Chama from Zambia. She received the Children’s Peace Prize from Bob Geldof and Nobel Prize Winner Betty Williams, for her devotion to the rights of children in her country, especially their right to education. Last year Desmond Tutu gave Mayra Avellar Neves the Children’s Peace Prize for her ongoing fight against the violence in the favella’s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Not only is the prize a sign of recognition for the young winners, it also offers them a platform to promote their ideals. In this way, these young heroes’ messages have more impact, and reach a larger audience. For example: Om Prakash was received by the president of India and has discussed the subject of child labour with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Expert Committee of the International Children’s Peace Prize
- Marc Dullaert, Founder and Chairman of the KidsRights Foundation and initiator the Children’s Peace Prize.
- Frans Roselaers, former Director of the ILO’s (International Labour Organisation) International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC).
- Prof. Jaap Doek, former Chairman of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
- Jeroo Billimoria, Founder and Chair of Child Helpline International and Founder and Director of Aflatoun, Child Savings International.
- Nevena Vuckovic-Sahovic, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
