United Nations,Aug 4 - Nirantar, a newspaper run by rural women in Uttar Pradesh, has won the United Nations International Literacy Prize.

Khabar Lahariya is produced and marketed by rural women from marginalised Dalit, Kol and Muslim communities in Chitrakoot and Banda districts of India's most populous state.

The King Sejong Literacy Prize was given by the United Nations Education and Social Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to this fortnightly paper, started by Nirantar, a centre for gender and education, which is based in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

In 1989, the UNESCO's King Sejong Literacy Prize was instituted by South Korea. It is named after Sejong the Great of the 14th century who created the Korean alphabet Hangul and is remembered for his contribution to education -science, technology and literature. Each winner is awarded 20,000 dollars.

Nirantar has developed a method of training women as journalists, which involves developing their literacy skills as well as honing their reporting abilities. This includes talking to public figures, gathering information and sharpening their editing skills. The coverage includes politics, crime, social issues and entertainment for their readership of over 25,000 people that spans 400 villages in both districts.