Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot by the Taliban, will today be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize alongside veteran children's rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi.

Yousafzai, 17, is the youngest person ever to receive the award. She was attacked by the Taliban in 2012 on her way to school, having begun writing about life under the Taliban in 2009. She has since become a leading figure in the fight for girls' education around the world.

"I want to serve my country and my dream is that my country becomes a developed country and I see every child get an education," she said in an interview for BBC HARDtalk.

Yousafzai currently goes to school in the UK, but said she would like to be involved in Pakistani politics in the future. 

"If I can serve my country best through politics and through becoming a prime minister then I would definitely choose that," Yousafzai said.

She said had been inspired by Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's former female Prime Minister who was assassinated in 2007.

The teenager said that receiving the award was both an encouragement and a responsibility.

"There are more responsibilities but I have also put responsibilities on myself. I feel I am answerable to God and to myself and that I should help my community. It's my duty."

Kailash Satyarthi, her Indian co-recipient, is full of admiration for her. "Malala is a wonderful girl, she's like my daughter, I adore and respect her a lot," he said in an interview with Reuters.

The 60-year-old former electrical engineer has campaigned peacefully to free child labourers for more than 30 years.

The Nobel committee said it was significant that an Indian Hindu and Pakistani Muslim are sharing the prize this year, a demonstration of the religious tolerance that both campaigners advocate.

Speaking of the importance of education in advancing peace, Sathyarthi said: "Education brings tolerance to societies, which brings peace, global brotherhood and mutual respect for each other."

"There should be more value-oriented education with more human values," he added.

The blood-spattered school uniform Yousafzai was wearing when she was shot in the head has been on display in Oslo ahead of the award ceremony.