Kailash Satyarthi (India, 1995)

A leading worldwide advocate for quality public education and the elimination of child labor practices, Kailash Satyarthi won the 1995 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award for his focus on India and Nepal. As well as liberating and educating children in positions of servitude, Satyarthi strategizes to involve both internal and external organizations such as local governments, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the World Bank in order to promote change. The ratification of two ILO conventions, the C182 (1999 Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention) and the C138 (Minimum Age for Admission to Employment Convention) by a number of governments was an amazing success for Satyarthiís campaign. These conventions, however, have yet to be fully implemented by the Indian and Napoli governments. Satyarthi strives to encourage compliance through educating these governments and publicizing child labor violations. In addition, Satyarthi is working to implement the Education for All initiative, which strives to provide primary education to children globally in order to increase adult literacy and eliminate child labor.

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human (CHR) rights is campaigning before the ILO to promote their involvement in implementing its child labor conventions 182 and 138. The CHR has partnered with Satyrarthi in a project to create a long-term educational system for the children rescued from child labor so they will not have to return to those conditions and can have real long-term education opportunities until they can truly sustain themselves. In addition, the CHR is advocating before Congress, the State Department, and the World Bank in order to garner funding and support for the Education for All initiative.

Resources and Documents:

• Kailash Satyarthi, 1995 RFK Human Rights Laureate, Brutally Attacked while investigating child labor ring in India
• Briefing in front of Congressional staffers

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