Global March Against Child Labour - From Exploitation to Education

Global March Against Child Labour: From Exploitation to Education


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New International Legislation brings a Smile on Domestic Workers’ Faces across the Globe 16 June 2011 Today the International Community has adopted a new law on Decent Work for Domestic Workers at the 100th Annual Conference of the International Labour Organization in Geneva. This indeed is a momentous occasion and a great victory for Global Civil Society including Trade Unions who had been demanding for an International Legislation to bring Domestic Work under the legal framework... Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Behind the global scourge of child labour 12 June 2011 While governments and civil society commemorate the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, over 20 crore children are still engaged as child labourers. More than half of them face the worst forms of child labour. Though India has the dubious distinction of having the largest number of child labourers, this is a global scourge... Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speech by Kailash Satyarthi on the launch of HLP 20 May 2011 No politician disagrees that we should get all children into school. Moral argument is clear. But most world leaders fail the children. What is missing is the political will. What is missing is a new global momentum to promote the right to education. I hope this panel will help addressing such challenges... Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gratitude 24 March 2011 I take this opportunity to thank you for all the support and strength that you have extended to Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) and me in condemning the brutal attack on our activists by traffickers and child slave masters during the raid and rescue operation in Delhi last week... Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reflections on 2010 and the Way Ahead 06 January 2011 2010 has been an important year for global efforts to eliminate child labour, creating a solid platform for Global March Against Child Labour, its members and partners to reinvigorate the worldwide movement against child labour in the New Year.. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of speech by Kailash Satyarthi, Kids Rights conference on MDGs Johannesburg, July 9th 2010 I would congratulate Kids Rights for this initiative and thank the co-hosts of this conference those who are making an important effort to ensure that the voice of millions of vulnerable children around world is heard at a time when it is needed most.. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Working together to combat child labour: It’s time to stop the exploitation of children” Washington D.C., 8 June 2010 “I am delighted to be here in Washington with you all to speak at this timely conference. The United States of America has been a strong global leader for many years in the global fight against child labour and I would like to congratulate the government, the social partners, civil society and the people of America for their considerable efforts which have helped to move the international agenda forward. In particular, I would like to congratulate Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Labour Hilda Solis for holding such an important event here today. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interest in the fight against child labour 11 May 2010 The Global Child Labour Conference is opening on 10 May in The Hague (1). It will adopt a roadmap setting out the measures to be taken to eradicate the worst forms of child labour by 2016, in line with the ILO Action Plan. Kailash Satyarthi, who is the chair of the Global March against Child Labour, shares his expectations on the matter and comments on the positive developments in his country, India. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A great day of dream coming true, a great reason to celebrate! 1 April 2010 For someone like me who always dreamt of a world where all children are in school, enjoying education and growing as responsible citizens will never be satisfied with piece meal. However, today is a very important day in my Life. Today is the day when millions of children in my country, get their legal right to receive free education. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Global Monitoring Report on Education for All 2010 Reaching the Marginalized launched January 19, 2010 We must congratulate Kevin Watkins and his entire GMR team for the report and giving due recognition to marginalization in education. Remarkable progress has been made during the last decade, but the report strongly indicates that education is under serious threat due to the failed commitments of governments and donors. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Defender of Democracy Award October 20, 2009 Thank you so much. I am deeply humbled today. Some months ago when I received information about the prestigious Defender of Democracy award from Parliamentarians for Global Action, I was really surprised to find my name amongst the list of legends of democracy. But the answer came from an 11 year old boy Amar Lal who was born as a slave child in stone quarries. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings October 4, 2009 I’d like to start by praising the African ministers here for their bold initiative in drawing attention to the implications of this crisis for poor countries, poor people and education. It is likely to be deep and damaging. This is a terrible injustice given that poor people were the least implicated in causing the crisis. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mass Movement needed to End Human Trafficking March 22, 2007 The 25 years of struggle of freedom from slavery has given us this experience that the most illicit trade of our times-human trafficking cannot be stopped without a mass movement. Law is important and equally important is the political will substantiated with adequate resources and a prompt and honest enforcement mechanism. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Four Factors for Accelerated Progress Towards EFA Goals” says Satyarthi November 12, 2006 I would like to begin by congratulating and thanking Education For All (EFA) partners for their remarkable accomplishments since Dakar. Global Campaign for Education (GCE) would like to acknowledge with deep appreciation the achievements of the poor countries, specially the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, donor countries, inter-government agencies and UNESCO’s leadership. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Children are the present…their voice is the future September 1, 2005 Once again, the children have proved that they are the leaders of today. They have all the courage and spirit to question those in power, and they have enough wisdom and vision to provide solution to many of the problems which adult think are complicated. More importantly, these children have emerged as icons of hope, rising from the most wretched conditions- former child slaves, victims of trafficking; physically, mentally and sexually exploited; socially excluded and oppressed. These children joined hands with a few committed youth leaders in the Second Children’s World Congress on Child Labour and Education organised by Global March Against Child Labour and hosted by Bachpan Bachao Andolan from 4-8th September 2005 in New Delhi. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kailash Satyarthi addresses the High Level Group on Education at Beijing Honourable Director General, Princess of Thailand, Heads of States, Ministers and leaders, and our kind hosts The People's Republic of China, I thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important subject. GCE has been a critical friend of FTI since its inception, and we come to this meeting with cautious optimism that this year will finally see it reach its full potential... Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satyarthi addresses 6th World Nobel Peace Prize Summit in Rome I am not an expert on Africa, but having worked and living with children for the last two and a half decade including Africa , I see a serious urgency. Let me begin with three very personal incidents of my life in Africa . I met a 15-year-old young Sudanese boy, who was kidnapped by the extremist army, and forced to kill some of his friends and relatives as his first training lesson in becoming a child soldier. The boy still has one hope that a day will come when no one will be forced to kill their dear ones. And, he asked me how it would be possible. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Resource mobilisation and aid effectiveness: Taking Stock of FTI Experience Honourable Director General, Princess of Thailand, Heads of States, Ministers and leaders, and our kind hosts The People's Republic of China, I thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important subject. GCE has been a critical friend of FTI since its inception, and we come to this meeting with cautious optimism that this year will finally see it reach its full potential. 30 November 2005. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satyarthi Addresses World Education Ministers at UNESCO General Assembly October 8, 2005 Kailash Satyarthi, Chair, Global March Against Child Labour and President, Global Campaign for Education was the only civil society representative keynote speaker to address the UNESCO General Conference Ministerial Round Table on Education for All at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.. More than 50 education ministers and high-ranking officials responsible for education meet during UNESCO's General Conference in Paris (7-8 October 2005) to explore practical ways to address Education for All (EFA) challenges by building on positive examples from different parts of the world. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raid & Rescue Operations June 6, 2005 Real Hero I salute Waib. He is the real hero. His courage and conviction is unprecedented. Born in the remote village of Pipradi, in one of the most backward states of India, Bihar, with no road and electricity, he is a victim of trafficking. He was trafficked along with several other children to Delhi by a labour recruiter on the pretext that he would be given a good education and good life. Later, he would be trained in some trade to send money back home. But, he was brought to a 12x18 feet room crowded with several other children engaged in needlework and embroidery. Life for these children was confined to this small room, their living room, sleeping room and work place. One day while crying for his mother, Waib was beaten up mercilessly by the employer. Not able to take any further punishments, Waib ran away and told the truth to the world. Waib is only 8 years old. Based on his story and information, we coordinated with different agencies to conduct a secret raid and rescue operation, which lead to the liberation of 29 children who were working in that zari export unit on 6th June 2005. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Partnership with Global March April 2005 We have been successful in building a worldwide movement against child labour and in favour of education. We are proud of our major accomplishments in the adoption of a new international law to stop the worst forms of child labour, as well as its ratification in 154 countries. Child labour and education are now a global agenda, but the story is far from over. As you are reading these worlds there are 250 million children toiling as labourers with two-thirds of them languishing in the extreme forms of labour exploitation, slavery, trafficking, and prostitution. Last year we rescued a dozen young Nepalese girls, trafficked, enslaved and abused in an Indian circus. Bhavna (name changed) was one who had lost all sense of childhood, freedom and joy at 13 years of age. The bright young girl blames her mother’s illiteracy and ignorance, for putting her thumb impression on paper, which she could not read while Bhavna was being trafficked some years back. Bhavna wishes that this should not be repeated in the lives of generations to come, but she feels it is too late for her to learn to read and write, as she is no more a child. This is the saga of millions of boys and girls across the world not only in the southern countries but also in the industrialised world. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Education: A Cross Cutting Issue February 1, 2005 Tsunami waves have brought the worst in the lives of thousands of people. Over one hundred and fifty thousand people dead and thousands of others whose lives have been affected by this disaster. The silver lining in this grim situation is however, that a huge tide of sympathy and help came forth from all corners of the world. Since more tangible cooperation efforts are being designed in the form of long term rehabilitation programmes for Tsunami victims, it adds up to the value of development cooperation in a new dimension. It is also a sign that despite a strong market driven materialistic culture, the humane component is still a strong element in our societies even today. We can also hope for a better tomorrow for children by empowering them through education and learning. There are several bottlenecks in achieving Education For All goals which the international community has pledged to, but one cannot deny that while civil society is getting vocal and stronger, governments are being compelled to bring education into the global political agenda and above all the demand for Education as a basic human right is emerging fast from the masses which needs to be catered to. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Development Destitution Development is the buzzword today. There is no dearth of information on modern development paradigms, policies and effects across the globe. The materialistic age of development has been converted into a market driven digital age, where the humane component in terms of feelings and external relationships is being crystallised in digits, powered with data and information. The fate of mankind is being determined by information, speed and a profit motive. Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Child Rights Protection: A More Holistic Approach In 2000 in Dakar, Senegal, the World Education Forum reaffirmed Education for All (EFA) as the key component of its Framework for Action. EFA is one of three critical, closely interrelated processes affecting the future of our world, and in particular our children. The other two are poverty alleviation and the elimination of child labour. http://www.oneworld.net/article/view/74996/1/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spotlight on Kailash Satyarthi, founder and president of the South Asian Coalition on Child Labour (SACCS) Spotlight on the founder and president of the South Asian Coalition on Child Labour (SACCS), one of the main organisations involved in the fight against child labour in India and architect of the Global March spanning four continents in 1998. November 2004 http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991220836&Language=EN --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Children Set Another Milestone! June 15, 2004 "...The Global March is once again overwhelmed with the monumental success of the Children's World Congress, Florence. Though we were all angry at the imposed absence of many of our young child participants from Africa and Asia, the strong vibrant and passionate voice of the children who participated as well as the committed response from the adults lifted our spirits and hopes..." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another denial of child participation! April 24, 2004 "...I will be on my way to Florence, in a few hours time. There are many loose ends to tie at the last moment and amidst all this mad rush, I cannot but stop myself from sharing my deep anguish with you. In less than a week's time, we would be participating in Children's World Congress on Child Labour. But even then my heart and soul would still be with those 200 children and dozens of child activists and my distinguished colleagues, who had been deprived of their right to be with us in Florence. Theirs is a blatant violation of human rights and child rights in particular. It is an assault on the emotions and enthusiasm, hopes and dreams of those children by none other than the democratically elected government of Italy...." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Road to Freedom March 24, 2004 "...none of these freed ones had any idea that before sunset their life would take a completely different turn; the new day would bring them freedom and open new windows to their future. And none would force them to perform hard work and there would be no dangers for women and girls from abusive men during night. It was a complete and total change for them!......" Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to make 'another world' possible? January 18, 2004 "....It was a great experience to watch the powerful upsurge of the civil society and the excitement, enthusiasm, determination and hopes of several thousands of people at the World Social Forum. The loud chants of young and the old alike, the huge banners displayed by the activists, the jangling of anklets of the dancing ‘Adivasis’ (tribals) attired in colourful dresses, Dalits (‘the untouchables’ of India), peasants, workers, migrants and the development institutions, the anti-globalisation forces, former child slaves, the disabled, victims of child abuse and gender atrocities and many more from all over the world provided ample evidence of Mumbai brimming with strong emotions..." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If not now, then when? And if not you, then who? Decemeber 18, 2003 "...I feel do we really and honestly work together to cooperate and collaborate with each other to find the solutions and to bring freedom in the lives of children? Do we at all have a sense of urgency to act? If we are able to answer these fundamental questions, perhaps we can wipe away the blot of human slavery...." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bonded Labour and Slavery August 25, 2003 "....But I could read the scars on the hearts and souls of these innocent ones. The perpetual torture and abuse have reduced them to non-entities with no perception of freedom, sense of dignity or even a feeling of self-identity...."Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Experiences Leading to the Global March August 07, 2003 "....A great deal of credit goes to our donors who agreed to support and help us in the March activities! It was a major breakthrough, which gave us considerable confidence as well as opportunities for the widest possible network. We started identifying the remotest possible contacts who could be potentially engaged in our endeavour. Of course, to start with, the Hague meeting had already given us a base....." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Preparatory Events Leading to the March June 19, 2003 "....It could be news for many that the germane idea of the Global March was not born in a high-level intellectual meeting of experts and thinktanks. It neither came from donors’ group nor inter- governmental agency but from a group of children who had suffered as child slaves...." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Birth of Global March Movement June 02, 2003 "....How did the Global March begin? How was this idea born? Who were the people behind it? Although the questions were not new and had been asked occasionally by different people on different occasions yet they surfaced again recently during an external evaluation of the Global March Movement conducted by two consultants - Theo from Netherlands and Amit, from India...." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Global March's Achievements April 09, 2003 "....We are marching! Five years after the physical march we haven't stopped our march against child slavery and exploitation. However, the mode and the technique of the March has changed, and the movement is getting stronger and stronger...." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Message of Peace March 04, 2003 "...Is it not a shame that the world is not prepared to spend an additional 10 billion dollars to protect all its children from exploitation and to ensure their education which amounts to nothing but four days of military expenditure?..." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condemning Exploitation of Girls January 06, 2003 ".....In the name of culture, this retrogressive inhuman and anti-women practice is based on the patriarchal attitude, which always considers women as mere commodities and not as human beings. Some men think age is no bar and that they are entitled to marry any number of women..." Read Full>> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lecture on Corporate Social Responsibility by Mr Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson, Global March Against Child Labour in a seminar organised by Italian organisations in Naples, Italy on 24th October, 2002 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Education for All: Is the World on Track? A Statement by Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson, Global March Against Child Labour and Global Campaign on Education, issued at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting, Washington D.C., September 27, 2002 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Fit for Children Speech by Mr. Kailash Satyarthi Chairperson of the Global March Against Child Labour At UN Special Session on Children, New York 10 May, 2002 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Effect of Communal Violence on Our Children A Brief Statement by Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson SACCS/ Global March/BBA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Presentation by Kailash Satyarthi International Conference on Children, torture and other forms of violence Facing the facts, forging the future Tampere, Finland 28 November, 2001 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Address by Kailash Satyarthi Chairperson of the Global March Against Child Labour, Partner in the Global Campaign for Education at the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Group on Education for All, Paris, October 30, 2001 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speech by Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson, Global March Against Child Labour and Steering Committee Member, Global Campaign on Education at the Education International World Congress Jomtien, July 25-29, 2001 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Opening Speech by Kailash Satyarthi at the World Conference on Education, New Delhi, India; February 13, 2001 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Address by Kailash Satyarthi at the launch of Kerry Kennedy’s book 'Speak Truth to Power', New Delhi, India; September 19, 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Address by Kailash Satyarthi on the Day of the Unions Expo 2000, Hannover; September 2, 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interview Note from Kerry Kennedy’s Book ‘Speak Truth To Power’ released on October 2, 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speech by Kailash Satyarthi at Mani Tese International Conference, Florence, Italy; March 18, 2000

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Global March Against Child Labour - From Exploitation to Education

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The Global March Against Child Labour is a movement to mobilise worldwide efforts to protect and promote the rights of all children, especially the right to receive a free, meaningful education and to be free from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be harmful to the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.