Somali wins 'alternative Nobel'

Asha Hagi co-founded Save Somali Women and Children

Somali campaigner Asha Hagi has won what is referred to as an "alternative Nobel Prize" for peace work in her war-torn country.

The Right Livelihood Award is being presented for her work despite "great personal risk".

As co-founder of Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC) she has worked to end the violence and poverty women suffer.

She has also participated in the UN-sponsored peace process which was initiated in Djibouti in May.

Somalia has been without a functioning central government for 17 years and has suffered continual civil strife, with rival armed clans and groups fighting for control.

'I am delighted'

Ms Hagi, who is a member of the Pan-African Parliament, based in Johannesburg, helped to found SSWC in 1992.

SSWC has established a computer training centre for Somali women

She said their first campaign was to get women into parliament.

"The government only represented men. To get round this, we argued that women constituted the sixth clan, and on this basis, we got one sixth of the seats allocated to women," she said.

Her campaigns have also been around practical issues to improve the lives of women.

"I am delighted," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "It is a privilege for me and all Somali women, because without their support I would not be the woman I am."

SSWC has established a computer training centre to enable Somali women to use the latest technology.

Ms Hagi will share the award with an American, a Swiss-born doctor and an Indian activist.

The recipients will share a 2m kronor ($290,000; £163,000) cash prize for the award which was founded by the Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull in 1980 to recognise work he felt was being ignored by the Nobel Prizes.

The awards will be presented in a ceremony at the Swedish parliament on 8 December, two days before the Nobel Prizes are handed out.