Pakistan 's Malala Yousafzai has won the European Parliament 's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought . Parliament President Martin Schulz called the 16-year-old a `` brave advocate for education '' who `` reminds us of our duty toward children and especially girls . '' Malala Yousafzai : Accolades , applause and a grim milestone . The prize is worth about $ 67,000 . Malala 's activism started after the Taliban banned girls from schools in Pakistan 's Swat Valley in 2009 . She anonymously blogged for the BBC in opposition to that order , and became an open advocate for girls ' education . In 2011 , Malala told CNN , `` I have the right of education . I have the right to play . I have the right to sing . I have the right to talk . '' A year later , she was riding the bus home from school when a Taliban gunman climbed aboard and shot her in the head . She nearly died . Since then , Malala has recovered and continued advocating for girls ' education , despite ongoing death threats from the Taliban . Malala appears on `` The Daily Show '' She 's also a favorite to win this year 's Nobel Peace Prize , which will be awarded Friday . If Malala wins , she would become the youngest-ever Nobel laureate .
Malala Yousafzai wins this year 's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought . Comment: Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban but continues promoting girls ' education .