Activist Spotlight:

Kailash Satyarthi
Abhilasha Arya Singh
 Who is Kailash Satyarthi?
• Child rights advocate and awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for “struggle
against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all
children to education.”

• In the 1980s, he swapped his high caste name, Sharma, for Satyarthi, which
means "seeker of truth," giving up his work as an electrical engineer and his
high caste name.

• Founded Save the Childhood Movement, commonly known as Bachpan

Bachao Andolan (BBA) in 1980 in India to end child labour and trafficking.

• Founded the Global March Against Child Labor in 1998, which is a

worldwide coalition of NGOs, Teachers’ Unions and Trade Unions active in
Image source: https://satyarthi-us.org/about-us/
103 countries.

• Founded Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) in 2004

promoting child rights, combating child labor and trafficking, and ensuring
access to quality education and opportunities for vulnerable and
marginalized children.
 How Does Kailash Satyarthi Operate?
• Conducts rescue operations to liberate children from exploitative
and hazardous working conditions.

• Rehabilitation and education of the rescued children to help them

integrate back into society and lead a life free from exploitation.

• Engages with government officials, policymakers, and

international organizations to push for stronger legislation against
child labor and improved implementation of child rights laws.

• Mobilizes public support and participation through various

campaigns and events.

• Collaborates with other NGOs, activists, and organizations

working in the field of child rights and social justice.
 What Are The Goals of His Efforts?
• Universal abolition of child labour and the provision of education for all children.

• Enforcement and execution of laws and regulations that safeguard children's rights.

• Access to a high-quality education, and a secure environment for the entire development of
children.

Image source: https://satyarthi.org.in

The Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation

Vision
A world free of violence against children,
where all children are free to be children.

Mission
Eradicate child labor and child exploitation
by educating and mobilizing the public,
engaging the private sector to prioritize
children in their business models, building
capacity of partners on the ground and
advocating for the protection of children in
national and international policies.
Issues He Works On

Image sources: https://satyarthi.org.in

 What are the effects?
• Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), have liberated more than 100,000
children from child labour, slavery, trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

• Due to the Save Childhood Movement’s advocacy, in 1986 the Indian government passed the
Child Labour Act, which prohibits hiring children younger than 14 years old for hazardous
jobs. 

• The International Labour Organization's Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child
Labour was adopted with the help of Satyarthi, who was a key player in the process.

• His group and other global partners organized the Global March Against Child Labour, which
inspired millions of people to speak out against child labour and support children's rights.
Impact Of His Efforts Down The Years

Image source: https://satyarthi.org.in

If the activism relates to our course texts, how does it relate?
Both Satyarthi and Freire's work demonstrates the potential for education and activism to bring about
positive social change and create a more just and equitable world.

• Like Freire, Satyarthi's work also seeks to liberate children from the oppressive conditions of child
labor and trafficking, aiming to restore their dignity and humanity.

• Both Satyarthi and Freire believe in the power of raising consciousness and awareness among
oppressed individuals.

• Satyarthi's activism is a living example of praxis, as he combines action (rescuing children from
exploitative situations) with reflection (raising awareness and advocating for policy changes) to
address the issue of child labor effectively.

• Satyarthi's advocacy and rescue operations are driven by a deep commitment to protecting children's
rights, while Freire's pedagogy is grounded in the ethical imperative to empower the oppressed.
 “The Price of Free,”

“The Price of Free” is a documentary about the life of Kailash Satyarthi and his mission that won the
2018 U.S. Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
 Resources
Freire, P. (2005). Pedagogy of the oppressed. The Continuum International Publishing Group .

Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation. (2023). About Us. Retrieved from

https://satyarthi.org.in/about-us/.

Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation. (2023). Overview. Retrieved from

https://satyarthi.org.in/#overview

Mineo, L. (2019). To free every child. The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/09/nobel-laureate-childrens-rights-activist-kailash-satyarthi-c
omes-to-harvard/
 Thanks!
CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo,
including icons by Flaticon, infographics & images by Freepik