Laureates and Leaders Summit for Children
Recognising the change that could be brought to the lives of children around the world if visionaries from various fields worked together, Shri Kailash Satyarthi envisioned Nobel Laureates and world leaders working together to ensure freedom and dignity for every child in the world. To bring this vision to fruition, the Laureates and Leaders for Children platform was launched in 2016.
The first Laureates and Leaders Summit for Children was held in 2016 in New Delhi where a charter for children, ‘The Will for Children’, emerged. The second Summit was held in Jordan in 2018 and ended with a global call to action demanding urgent action for children’s rights protection and promotion.Recognising that change could be brought to the lives of children around the world if visionaries from various fields work together, Mr. Kailash Satyarthi envisioned a collective of Nobel Laureates and world leaders who would work together to ensure freedom and dignity for every child in the world. To bring this vision to fruition, the Laureates and Leaders for Children platform was launched in 2016.
The first Laureates and Leaders Summit for Children was held in 2016 in New Delhi where a charter for children, ‘The Will for Children’, emerged. The second Summit was held in Jordan in 2018 and ended with a global call to action demanding urgent action for protection and promotion of rights of children.
Surakshit Bachpan Diwas
To ignite and enhance compassion among citizens, young and old, regarding children and bring them together to fight against the various forms of exploitation of children and ensure that the world becomes a safe place for them. The Satyarthi Movement has announced that January 11 th of every year shall be henceforth celebrated as Surakshit Bachpan Diwas. The day holds importance for the Satyarthi Movement, as it is the birthday of its founder, Nobel Peace Laureate, Shri Kailash Satyarthi.
Surakshit bachpan fund (save childhood fund)
The need of the hour is to put in place preventive and protective systems to ensure that every child in India is safe. Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) has set up the Surakshit Bachpan Fund to provide these systems. This fund will provide immediate medical, legal and psychological assistance to child victims of assault and violence. Nobel Peace Laureate Mr. Kailash Satyarthi and his wife, Mrs. Sumedha Kailash were invited to participate in the popular TV quiz show – “Kaun Banega Crorepati” hosted by actor Amitabh Bachchan. They won INR 50 lakhs, and donated this entire amount of 50 lakhs as seed money to set up Surakshit Bachpan Fund.
Surakshit Bachpan Fund seeks to provide assistance to 200 child survivors of sexual crimes and abuse in the next two years. Through this fund immediate medical, legal, educational and rehabilitation assistance is provided to the survivors.
Gudiya (name changed)
Today, little Gudiya (name changed) studies in one of the reputed English Medium schools of Delhi/NCR and is among the top students of her class. On meeting her one cannot believe that she had a harrowing past.
Gang raped and brutally tortured at the age of 5 by her neighbours, Gudiya made national headlines in 2013 when she was found desperately clutching on to life in the basement of her building, two days after she was reported missing. The girl had bottles and candles inserted in her private parts, and a cut around her throat. The criminals had abandoned her believing her to be dead. The little girl went through multiple surgeries for over a year. The incident affected the child physically and mentally, and she was forced to stay out of school more than a year.
KSCF intervened immediately as the case came to light and provided the girl with medical, legal and financial support using the Surakshit Bachpan Fund. We also helped her family relocate to ensure that the child and her family did not have to face any social stigma.
After seven years of wait, Gudiya got justice as her culprits were sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment on January 30, 2020 and the girl was given a compensation of Rs. 11 lakh.
We still continue to support Gudiya, whenever required, to ensure that she has a normal childhood.
Priya (name changed)
In 2013, when she was 12, Priya (name changed) was raped by a distant relative who used to visit her house, situated in a slum in Delhi, from time to time. The culprit lured her to a nearby forest where he raped Priya and threatened to kill her if she spoke about the incident. When she was found by her brothers who were out looking for her, she told them what happened and the family approached the local police station. Initially, the family faced some troubles lodging an FIR, however, KSCF intervened in the matter and the FIR was lodged in the case.
Following the incident, Priya started facing many physical problems including epileptic attacks. Her father, who was unable to pay for the medical expenses, approached KSCF following which the girl was provided medical and educational support using the Surakshit Bachpan Fund.
Today, Priya’s treatment is still ongoing. As she is unable to go to regular school due to her physical condition, we are providing her vocational training in stitching.
In 2019, her culprit was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and the girl was given a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh.
Freedom fellows education fund
Children who have been rescued from worst forms of child labour, child trafficking, abuse or other forms of violence typically do not have the financial means to pursue their education.
The Freedom Fellows Education Fund nurtures the aspirations of these children, preparing them as future change agents by providing them educational, financial and training support for the following purposes:
- Conventional Education: This includes secondary education and college/university education in their field of humanities/social science, commerce and science up to highest level.
- Professional Education: Any degree or diploma in the field of engineering, medical sciences, business management, law, fashion design or any other degree programs classified as professional education.
- Innovative Social Entrepreneurship Models: Financial support for implementing innovative entrepreneurship ideas for finding solutions of social problems through innovative enterprising activities.
- Grooming Extra-curricular Talent: Any training program in the field other than academic which grooms distinctive talent of a child in the field of sport, art & crafts, music, acting, athletics etc.
For the next 5 years, KSCF aims to support 500 of such children identified from the following two sources:
- Child Care Institutions: Children living in any children home, special home, aftercare institutions or living independently after completing the entitled stay at institutional care centers and meets the criteria.
- Satyarthi Movement: Any child who come across in any of the KSCF, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) or Bal Ashram programmes who are the victim of the child labour, child trafficking, child sexual abuse, organized child begging, child prostitution, child pornography, child marriage, any children in similar circumstances and vulnerable to fall into such situation due to extreme poverty or adverse family condition.
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Manan Ansari
Once a child labourer in the Mica mines of Jharkhand, 22-year-old Manan Ansari has now completed his MSc. in Applied Microbiology from KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, and is currently awaiting his final results.
Rukhsana
21-year-old Rukhsana is a young, influential leader in her village Jani Kalan situated in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. She has recently completed her graduation form Chaudary Charan Singh University and wants to continue her studies further.
Rajesh
Rewarded by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan state for his excellence in 10th board, Rajesh a former survivor of child labour made the Satyarthi Movement proud by securing 82% marks in 12th board as well. Rajesh is currently pursuing Bachelor of Science (Physical science with Electronics) degree from Rajdhani College, Delhi University.
Hummingbird Award
Hummingbird Award has been instituted to felicitate personnel from law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations and media who have done exemplary work towards protection and promotion of Child Rights. These awards are a humble effort to recognise and felicitate unsung changemakers who, in their own way, have contributed immensely to the cause of children.