The Hague, Nov 20: Om Prakash, a 14-year-old boy from Rajasthan has been awarded the International Children's Peace Prize for leading a campaign against child labour and child slavery in his native land.
Om Prakash was worked as a farm labourer for three years. After he was rescued, Om set up a network that aims to give all children a birth certificate as a way of helping to protect them from exploitation.
At the age of five, he was taken away from his parents and for three years he worked in the fields. He was given two meals a day, was regularly beaten and never paid.
After he was rescued, Om campaigned for free education in his native Rajastan. He then helped to set up a network of what are known as "child friendly villages".
Om was awarded the USD 100,000 prize organised by a Netherlands-based group at a ceremony in The Hague.
The peace prize, now in its second year, is organised by the Netherlands-based group, Kids Rights.
Om was awarded his peace prize by former South African President FW de Klerk, who with Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
Bureau Report