Matiullah Wesa, an Afghan advocate for education rights and a prominent campaigner for girls’ schooling, has been named the recipient of France’s 2026 Liberty Prize, organizers announced.
The award, presented by the Normandy regional government in partnership with the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace, honors individuals and organizations recognized for defending freedom and human rights.
According to organizers, 18,708 young people from 75 countries participated in the voting process and selected Wesa as the winner of the prize’s eighth edition.
In a statement announcing the award, organizers said: “Matiullah Wesa is the winner of the 2026 Liberty Prize. A total of 18,708 young people from 75 countries voted to select him.”
Wesa is the founder of Pen Path, a grassroots organization that works with thousands of volunteers to promote education in underserved areas of Afghanistan, with a particular focus on access to schooling for girls.
He began the initiative at age 17 and later helped establish schools and educational programs in remote parts of the country.
Wesa was arrested by the Taliban in March 2023 amid his public advocacy for girls’ education. He spent seven months in detention before being released.
Afghanistan is currently the only country in the world where girls and women are barred from secondary and higher education. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, drawing widespread condemnation from rights groups and foreign governments.
The Liberty Prize was established in 2019 and is awarded annually to individuals or organizations deemed to have made significant contributions to the defense of human freedom.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on June 4 in the French city of Caen and is expected to draw more than 4,000 young participants, along with several veterans of World War II.
Last year’s recipient was Gisèle Pelicot, a prominent French campaigner against sexual violence.
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