THE KAILASH SATYARTHI CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

THE FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO ERADICATING CHILD LABOR AND CHILD EXPLOITATION BY EDUCATING AND MOBILIZING THE PUBLIC, ENGAGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PRIORITIZE CHILDREN IN THEIR BUSINESS MODELS, BUILDING CAPACITY OF PARTNERS ON THE GROUND AND ADVOCATING FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLICIES.THE FOUNDATION BELIEVES THAT ALL CHILDREN MUST LIVE FREELY WITH DIGNITY AND HAVE THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO BE SAFE, HEALTHY AND EDUCATED IN ORDER TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL. THE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH GRASSROOTS AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO FREE AND REHABILITATE CHILD LABORERS AND VICTIMS OF CHILD TRAFFICKING, SLAVERY, SEXUAL ABUSE AND CHILD MARRIAGE, WHO ENGAGE AND COLLABORATE WITH THE AUTHORITIES TO DELIVER SURVIVORS' RIGHTS TO HEALTH, EDUCATION AND JUSTICE. THE FOUNDATION ALSO BRINGS TOGETHER PASSIONATE ACTORS ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN EVERYWHERE TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND INFLUENCE TO ACHIEVE INNOVATIVE AND IMPACTFUL POLICY CHANGE AT EVERY LEVEL.IN RESPONSE TO THE RISE OF CHILD LABOR VIOLATIONS IN THE US, COUPLED WITH THE WEAKENING OF STATE LEVEL CHILD LABOR LAWS, THE FOUNDATION CREATED AND LAUNCHED A FIRST OF ITS KIND WEBSITE THAT SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR DECISION MAKERS AND CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS WHERE THEY CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STATUS OF CHILD LABOR IN THE UNITED STATES. THE WEBSITE IS UPDATED REGULARLY WITH NEWS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING DETAILS ABOUT US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS, ALONG WITH LINKS TO NATIONAL AND LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE OF CHILD LABOR ISSUES. IN ADDITION, THE WEBSITE INCLUDES AN INTERACTIVE MAP THAT CONTAINS THE CHILD LABOR LAWS IN EACH STATE IN AN ACCESSIBLE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND FORMAT. STATE LABOR LAW IS NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO FIND AND INTERPRET. THIS MAP IS GROUNDBREAKING IN ITS SIMPLICITY. IT ALLOWS ANYONE TO QUICKLY ACCESS A PARTICULAR STATE'S LABOR LAWS AND SEE HOW THEY COMPARE TO THE FEDERAL LABOR STANDARDS. THIS PAST YEAR THE FOUNDATION CO-HOSTED A STRATEGY SESSION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO ADDRESS CHILD LABOR IN THE US THAT RESULTED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS. THE FOUNDATION AGREED TO BE A CO-CONVENOR OF THIS NEW COLLECTIVE.THE FOUNDATION'S GLOBAL WORK IN 2023 CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON THE INCREASE OF CHILD LABOR, ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA. IN JANUARY, THE FOUNDATION RELEASED THE JUSTICE FOR AFRICA'S CHILDREN REPORT WITH A NUMBER OF SENIOR AFRICAN AND OTHER LEADERS, WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SHARED WITH POLICYMAKERS AROUND THE WORLD. FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT WERE PRESENTED AT A SPECIAL SESSION OF ECOWAS ON CHILD LABOR FROM 14 WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES.THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON ENGAGING CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO BECOME GLOBAL CITIZENS THAT HAVE A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL CHILDREN TO BE FREE, SAFE, HEALTHY, AND EDUCATED. IN 2023, THE 100 MILLION CAMPAIGN YOUTH LEADERS RAISED AWARENESS ABOUT THE SHOCKING INCREASE IN CHILD LABOR ACROSS SUB SAHARAN AFRICA. THE US 100 MILLION CAMPAIGN ENGAGED YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE US WITH THE CREATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKITS HIGHLIGHTING THE ISSUE OF CHILD LABOR AND CHILD TRAFFICKING.IN ADDITION TO THE INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC POLICY AND MOBILIZATION WORK ALREADY MENTIONED, THE FOUNDATION FUNDED PROGRAMS ON THE GROUND IN INDIA FOCUSED ON THE REPLICATION AND SCALING OF THE CHILD FRIENDLY VILLAGE MODEL, WHICH BRINGS VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE LENS OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS TO VILLAGES IN INDIA. OUR WORK PROTECTED MORE THAN 136,000 CHILDREN FROM CHILD LABOR, CHILD TRAFFICKING, CHILD MARRIAGE AND ENSURING ACCESS TO EDUCATION.THE FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO INCUBATE A PROGRAM TO DELIVER LEGAL JUSTICE FOR THOUSANDS OF CHILD SURVIVORS ACROSS INDIA BY PARTNERING WITH MORE THAN 160 GRASSROOTS AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. AS PART OF THIS WORK, MORE THAN 31 MILLION WOMEN, GIRLS AND THEIR ALLIES PARTICIPATED IN EVENTS IN 40,000+ VILLAGES DEMANDING AN END TO CHILD MARRIAGE IN INDIA.