Om Prakash Gurjar

For the actor, see Om Prakash

Om Prakash (born 3 July 1992) 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 nofor free education in his native Rajasthan. He then helped to set up a network of what are known as "child friendly villages",[1] 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 birth certificates as a way of helping to protect them from exploitation. 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 is the founder of "Poornima Pathshala" in Poornima University to help the underprevileged children so that they can study and dream.

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.

References

  1. ↑ Bachpan Bachao Andolan
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