Kailash Satyarthi was born on 11 January 1954 as an Indian social reformer who campaigned against child labor in India & advocated the universal right to education. In 2004, he was co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Malala Yousafzai, “for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and the right of all children to education.” He is the founder of multiple social activist organizations, including Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Global March Against Child Labour, Global Campaign for Education, and Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation. He and his team at Bachman Bachao Andolan have liberated more than 81,000 children in India from child labor, slavery, and trafficking. Satyarthi conceived and led the Global March against Child Labour, an 80,000 km (ca. 49,710 mi)-long march across 103 countries to put forth a global demand against the worst forms of child labor. This became one of the most massive social movements ever on behalf of exploited children. The marchers’ needs included children and youth (particularly the survivors of trafficking for forced labor, exploitation, sexual abuse, illegal organ transplants, armed conflict, etc.). The same was reflected in the draft of the ILO Convention 192 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour. The following year, the Convention was unanimously adopted at the ILO Conference in Geneva. In his 34 years as an activist, and managed to free tens of thousands of young children from forced labor who are forced into slavery by the evil men like agents, business people, landowners, brothel owners, etc., society.
United Nations (UN) General Assembly
International Labor Conference UN Human Rights Commission
UNESCO
He founded GoodWeave.In 1994, Kailash started an initiative called “Rugmark” (now known as GoodWeave International). The initiative aims to create a carpet industry that does not make use of child labor. Rugs sold under the GoodWeave label are certified child-labor-free. This movement has sent a powerful international message against child labor. Started in 1998, it began with an 80,000 km long physical march across 103 countries. Members from over 140 different countries participated in the rally. The movement’s impact has been so profound that today, 177 of 185 member countries of the International Labour Organisation have ratified a convention against child labor.
