Om Prakash Gurjar
Encyclopedia
Om Prakash Gurjar is a former child labourer from Rajasthan
who won the International Children's Peace Prize
for 2006.
At the age of five, he was taken away from his parents and for three years he worked in the fields. After he was rescued by activists of Bachpan Bachao Andolan
, Om campaigned for free education in his native Rajasthan. He then helped to set up a network of what are known as "child friendly villages", places where children's rights are respected and child labour is not allowed. He also set up a network that aims to give all children a birth certificate as a way of helping to protect them from exploitation. He also worked to ensure children are given birth certificate
s. He says such registration is the first step towards enshrining children's rights, proving their age, and helping to protect them from slavery
, trafficking
, forced marriage
or serving as a child soldiers.
He was awarded the International Children's Peace Prize
by former South African President FW de Klerk, who won the Nobel Peace Prize
in 1993.
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
who won the International Children's Peace Prize
International Children's Peace Prize
The International Children’s Peace Prize is awarded annually to a child who has made a significant contribution to advocating children's rights and improving the situation of vulnerable children such as orphans, child labourers and children with HIV/AIDS....
for 2006.
At the age of five, he was taken away from his parents and for three years he worked in the fields. After he was rescued by activists of Bachpan Bachao Andolan
Bachpan Bachao Andolan
Bachpan Bachao Andolan is a non-governmental organization in India working to "eradicate child labour". The group was founded by Kailash Satyarthi in 1980.-External links:* * * *...
, Om campaigned for free education in his native Rajasthan. He then helped to set up a network of what are known as "child friendly villages", places where children's rights are respected and child labour is not allowed. He also set up a network that aims to give all children a birth certificate as a way of helping to protect them from exploitation. He also worked to ensure children are given birth certificate
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth...
s. He says such registration is the first step towards enshrining children's rights, proving their age, and helping to protect them from slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
, forced marriage
Forced marriage
Forced marriage is a term used to describe a marriage in which one or both of the parties is married without his or her consent or against his or her will...
or serving as a child soldiers.
He was awarded the International Children's Peace Prize
International Children's Peace Prize
The International Children’s Peace Prize is awarded annually to a child who has made a significant contribution to advocating children's rights and improving the situation of vulnerable children such as orphans, child labourers and children with HIV/AIDS....
by former South African President FW de Klerk, who won the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
in 1993.