Peng Liyuan, China's first lady and a UNESCO special envoy. XIE HUANCHI / XINHUA

Munando, the prize winner from Zimbabwe, thanked China and Peng for supporting the important prize for female education.

Pang Zhongying, dean of the School of International Relations at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, said Peng plays a crucial role in promoting women's and children's education.

Her work shows that China attaches great importance to human development, Pang said.

"The status of women in China in politics and in law has improved significantly since the founding of the People's Republic of China. But new challenges and problems for them have also arisen in China since its rapid development, like elsewhere in the world," Pang added.

"What Peng has done as a special envoy shows that China is willing to face these problems directly and to respond to these challenges actively.

"It demonstrates China's responsibility in acting as a leading example to promote women's development."