There is a powerful political message conveyed in the selection of Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi for the Nobel Peace prize. It also points to the different ways in which the two have gone about achieving their goals, with Mr Satyarthi being very much a grassroots activist. He has led a succession of protests and demonstrations over many years, as well as contributed to the development of international conventions on children's rights.
living in a relatively backward region of Pakistan controlled by conservative mentalities, the 17-year-old Malala became globally known in 2012 when Taliban gunmen shot her for her passionate advocacy of the girl's right to education. Still, many view her with suspicion as an outcast or even as a Western creation aimed at damaging her country's image abroad. Ms Yousafzai cast off her victimhood and emerged as a a beacon of hope for young girls around the world.