Kailash Satyarthi

Kailash Satyarthi was born on January 11, 1954, in Vidisha, a small town in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. He would go on to become an internationally recognized children's rights activist, focusing on the eradication of child labor and child exploitation. His early life and education in India laid the foundation for his activism, which later earned him global acclaim.

In 1980, Kailash Satyarthi founded the 'Bachpan Bachao Andolan' (BBA), which translates to 'Save Childhood Movement'. This organization was established to fight against child labor, trafficking, and to promote the rights of children to receive an education. The BBA has been instrumental in rescuing thousands of children from exploitative labor conditions across India, making significant impacts on public awareness and policy.

In 1998, Kailash Satyarthi was a key figure in organizing the Global March Against Child Labor, which took place in 103 countries. This movement sought to raise awareness and push for legal reform against child labor around the world. The march involved thousands of activists, children, and supporters who came together to demand an end to child exploitation and the implementation of the International Labour Organization's conventions on child labor.

On October 10, 2014, Kailash Satyarthi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Malala Yousafzai for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Kailash's work in rescuing and rehabilitating thousands of child laborers, along with Malala's advocacy for girls' education, were recognized as monumental contributions to global peace and child rights.

In December 2016, Kailash Satyarthi launched the '100 Million for 100 Million' campaign, aiming to mobilize 100 million young people to advocate for the rights of 100 million children who were denied education, enslaved, and exploited. This ambitious campaign seeks to foster solidarity among youth and promote global demand for child rights, education, and an end to child labor. This initiative emphasizes empowerment and active participation in social justice efforts.

Kailash Satyarthi established the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation (KSCF) in 2015 with a mission to create a child-friendly world where all children are free, safe, healthy, and educated. The foundation works towards this goal through direct interventions, policy advocacy, research, and awareness campaigns. It focuses on child labor, trafficking, and education, aiming to transform societal views and government policies to protect children's rights.

In September 2017, Kailash Satyarthi launched the Bharat Yatra, a national campaign across India to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and trafficking. The Yatra covered over 11,000 kilometers and included participation from a wide community of activists, survivors, celebrities, and political leaders. The campaign sought to amplify the voice against the exploitation of children and demanded stronger laws and implementation for child protection.

Kailash Satyarthi addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, delivering a powerful speech on the need for global cooperation to end child labor and trafficking. He called for urgent action to protect children from exploitation and affirmed the role of international organizations in safeguarding children's rights worldwide. His address highlighted the critical nature of global partnerships and sustained commitment in tackling child exploitation.

In collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), Kailash Satyarthi's initiatives contributed to the release of the report 'Child Labour: Global Estimates 2020', which highlighted that 152 million children were still being used for labor and called for accelerated measures to eliminate child labor. The report serves as a crucial resource in understanding the status and dynamics of child labor globally and pushes for more aggressive action to address the issue.

On June 12, 2020, coinciding with the World Day Against Child Labour, Kailash Satyarthi launched the Fair Share to End Child Labour campaign. The initiative advocates for equitable distribution of resources and calls upon governments and organizations to allocate fair shares of budgets toward eradicating child labor. The campaign emphasizes the need for financial commitment and policy support to ensure effective interventions to protect children from exploitation.