Om Prakash Gurjar

For the actor, see Om Prakash

Om Prakash Gurjar (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 campaigned for 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 a birth certificate as a way of helping to protect them from exploitation. He also worked to ensure children are given birth certificates. 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.

References

1. ^ Bachpan Bachao Andolan

External links

• Bio details, The Children's Peace Prize
• Victory at last: Child 'slave' gets peace prize, The Times of India, Nov 21, 2006
• On a mission against bondage, The Hindu, Nov 23, 2006
• Indian boy wins world peace prize, BBC News

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Name	Gurjar, Om Prakash
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Date of birth	3 July 1992
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