1995: KAILASH SATYARTHI, INDIA

A leading worldwide advocate for quality public education and the elimination of child labor practices, Kailash Satyarthi won the 1995 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award for his focus on India and Nepal. As well as liberating and educating children in positions of servitude, Satyarthi works to bring together diverse stakeholders such as local governments, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the World Bank in order to promote change. The ratification of two ILO conventions, the C182 (1999 Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention) and the C138 (Minimum Age for Admission to Employment Convention) by a number of governments was an amazing success for Satyarthi's campaign. These conventions, however, have yet to be fully implemented by the Indian and Napoli governments. Satyarthi strives to encourage compliance through educating these governments and publicizing child labor violations. In addition, Satyarthi works to promote the "Education for All" initiative, which strives to provide primary education to all children globally as a means to eliminating child labor and increasing literacy.