A Gift for all
Children
Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 has been awarded
to Kailash
Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai for their great efforts against the exploitation
of children and young people and for the right of all children to education.
Showing enormous personal bravery,
Kailash Satyarthi, maintaining Gandhi's tradition, has headed various forms of
protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the grave exploitation
of children for financial gain. He has also contributed to the development of
important international conventions on children's rights. Despite her youth,
Malala Yousafzai has already fought for many years for the girl children’s right
to education.
Children must go to school and not be
financially exploited. In the poor countries of the world, 60% of the present
population is under 25 years of age. It is a prerequisite for peaceful global
development that the rights of children and young people be respected. In
conflict-ridden areas in particular, the violation of children leads to the
continuation of violence from generation to generation.
The Nobel Committee regards it as an
important point for a Hindu and a Muslim, an Indian and a Pakistani, to join in
a common struggle for education and against extremism. Many other individuals
and institutions in the international community have also contributed. It has
been calculated that there are 168 million child labourers around the world
today. In 2000 the figure was 78 million higher. The world is uniting againt
the goal of eliminating child labour though there is much more to be done.
A child is a person not a sub-person. It
is heartening to see that such a great honour has been awarded to those who
work for child rights. In spite of constant exploitation of children, the whole
world has been opened up to act in favour of children through this recognition being
awarded to Mr. Kailash Satyarthi and Miss. Malala Yousafzai and both of them are from places where there are
world’s largest child population exist.
We need to make earnest efforts and join
the fight for child rights, for they are the future of our nation and humanity.
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