Greta Thunberg awarded 'Alternative Nobel Prize' 

The 2019 Right Livelihood Award, also known as the "alternative Nobel prize" for human rights, was awarded to Sweden's Greta Thunberg, China's Guo Jianmei, Brazil's Davi Kopenawa, and Western Sahara's Aminatou Haidar in a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden on Wednesday night., according to DW.com.

This year marks the 40th year the prize has been awarded. Two of the laureates, Thunberg and Guo, were not able to receive their awards in person, while laureates Haidar and Kopenawa were in attendance.
 
The jury honored 58-year-old Guo, a lawyer, for "her pioneering and persistent work in securing women's rights in China." The lawyer was integral in helping establish new laws against domestic violence in her country.

"She has helped thousands of disadvantaged women in getting access to justice," the award committee said.
Haidar, a 52-year-old human rights activist, was distinguished "for her steadfast non-violent action, despite imprisonment and torture, in pursuit of justice and self-determination for the people of Western Sahara."

Morocco annexed Western Sahara in 1975. The activist has campaigned for independence for more than 30 years and is known as the "Ghandi of Western Sahara" for commitment to non-violent protest.