Canadian author Margaret Atwood was on Wednesday awarded Spain's prestigious Prince of Asturias Prize for literature, the jury announced.

Atwood was rewarded for her "splendid literary works," which "defend the dignity of women and condemn social injustice."

She beat 32 other nominees from 24 countries for the prize, worth 50,000 euros (78,000 dollars) and which she will officially receive from Crown Prince Felipe in October.

The poet, novelist, literary critic and feminist won Britain's Booker Prize in 2000 for her novel "The Blind Assassin" and the Arthur C. Clarke Award for science fiction in 1985 for "The Handmaid's Tale."

The Asturias foundation annually hands out eight awards in the fields of communication and humanities, scientific and technical research, social science, arts, literature, international cooperation, international understanding and sport.

Last year's literature award went to Israeli writer Amos Oz.