Kailash Satyarthi: A Champion for Children's Rights
Kailash Satyarthi was born on January 11, 1954, in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, India. He pursued a degree in electrical engineering and then a post-graduate diploma in high-voltage engineering.
Initially working as an engineer, Satyarthi shifted his focus to social activism in the 1980s. He was inspired by the plight of child laborers and decided to devote his life to combating child labor and exploitation.
In 1980, Satyarthi founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save Childhood Movement), an organization dedicated to rescuing children from forced labor and trafficking. The BBA has since rescued tens of thousands of children from exploitative conditions.
In 1998, Satyarthi led the Global March Against Child Labor, a worldwide movement involving millions of people. The march aimed to raise awareness about child labor and advocate for stronger international laws against it.
Kailash Satyarthi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, which he shared with Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani advocate for girls' education. The Nobel Committee recognized their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.
Satyarthi has been a key figure in several international campaigns, including the Global Campaign for Education and the Global Alliance for Transnational Organized Crime.
He established the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation (KSCF), which works to end child exploitation and ensure a safe and secure childhood for all children. The foundation focuses on policy advocacy, rescue operations, and rehabilitation of child laborers.
Apart from the Nobel Peace Prize, Satyarthi has received numerous other accolades, including the Defenders of Democracy Award (2009), the Alfonso Comin International Award (2008), and the Harvard Humanitarian of the Year Award (2015).
Satyarthi's approach combines grassroots activism with high-level policy advocacy. He believes in the power of community involvement and has often risked his life to rescue children from dangerous situations.
Satyarthi has written extensively on child labor and human rights. His articles and papers have been published in various national and international journals, contributing to the global discourse on child rights and labor issues.