Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi plans to launch this year his most ambitious campaign against child labour "100 million to 100 million" and "a biggest moral platform" that would be a very deep and effective approach to raise the voice of the children world over.
He said he would be engaging young adults for his "100 million to 100 million" campaign that would be launched online as well as offline.
"I am planning to launch human history's most ambitious campaign 'Hundred million to hundred million' for left out children worldwide and this will be launched online as well as offline this year," Satyarthi told a group of visiting reporters in his Bal Aashram at Virat Nagar in the district, about 90 kms from here.
"On the one hand are 100 million children who are exploited, who become victim of child labour, overlapping abuses and vulnerabilities and deprived of their childhood freedom.
"On the other hand are 100 million plus youths and students in school and colleges who are well off and looking to do something. Such 100 million plus youths should become spokespersons, champions and leaders for the cause of another 100 million left out children in the world," he said.
The Nobel Laureate said the campaign would address vast chunk of students and influence an entire generation.
Underlining that the issues of children should be the priority of the governments across the world, Satyarthi said countries should formulate more integrated child policy so that their issues can get addressed.
"Children are neither the political nor the economic priorities (of the governments). They are looked upon as a matter of pity or charity, which is very sad. Policy fragmentation is a big problem in the world and different ministries look after different matters of children, this approach should be changed," he said.
In India, Satyarthi said that there should also be inter- ministerial coordination and cooperation on the issue of children and all ministers should sit together with a clear agenda for children.
The activist, who has been meeting global political as well as religious leaders with regard to his campaign for child rights, said he would convene a joint meeting of religious leaders to urge them to start talking about the rights of children and to prioritise this issue in their discourse.
Satyarthi also plans to launch the biggest moral platform of Nobel laureates and global leaders to speak for the rights of children in one strong voice.
(Reopens DES25)
"Something which is shrinking in the world is morality, in politics, economy and society. The loss will be much greater in the society if the moral crisis continues. Therefore, I am planning to launch the biggest moral platform which will have participation of Nobel laureates from various field and global leaders," he said.
The activist said that each Nobel laureate possesses moral authority and outreach which should be used for the cause.
"I met with Presidents and leaders of various countries who are willing to join the mission. As far as this platform is concerned, this is going to be a strong platform to demand the international community prioritise children and this would be a very deep and effective approach to raise the voice of the children," he said.
He said recently, the problem of refugee children going missing has emerged.
"Nearly 5,000 children went missing in Italy alone. It is the moral responsibility of the governments that refugee children do not become victims of human trafficking. This is a serious issue. Now, if we have an independent forum with a strong voice, European governments and commissions would listen to us," the 62-year-old founder of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), which was launched in 1980 and has protected the rights of more than 83,000 children.
