Tutu announces Children's Peace Prize nominees

Archbishop Desmond Tutu announced the nominees for the 2011 International Children's Peace Prize in Cape Town on Tuesday.

Tutu said: “[It] is a very important prize because it facilitates a platform for children, who make a valuable contribution to a peaceful world... Children are the future, but often they are not heard. The Children’s Peace Prize gives a voice to the voiceless.”

An initiative by Dutch organisation KidsRights, the prize is awarded annually to a child "whose courageous or otherwise remarkable acts have made a difference in countering problems which affect children around the world", the organisation said in a press release.

The five nominees for this year's prize - which launched in 2005 during the Nobel Peace Laureates’ Summit - were chosen from 98 children of 42 nationalities.

This year's nominees are:

• Michaela, 17, South Africa: "Born with Cerebral Palsy, through which she has limited function in her legs and arms. She fights for the rights and inclusion of children with disabilities in South Africa".
• Malala, 13, Pakistan: "Focuses on the right to education with a focus on education for girls, which was banned during the Taliban rule in Pakistan".
• Liza, 17, Palestine: "Uses sports to promote peace between Israeli and Palestinian youngsters and fights for the empowerment of Palestinian girls".
• Nikolay, 17, Armenia: "Organises discussions and presentations on human rights and also shares his knowledge through his website and blog".
• Winfred, 14, Uganda: "Stands up for abused children [and] documents cases of violence against children in schools and communities".

The winner of the Children’s Peace Prize will be announced on 21 November 2011 in the Netherlands.