Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation

This wing of the Foundation conducts research, influences policies and conducts training and capacity building to create awareness against child violence, exploitation and abuse. It undertakes research studies to find out and address existing gaps in child protection policies. The result of extensive research has led to the strengthening of many existing policies related to child protection, juvenile justice and missing children.

The Foundation runs a Freedom Fellows Education Fund, aimed at providing support to children rescued from child labour, abuse and other forms of violence. These children do not usually have any form of financial support, the Foundation helps these children by sponsoring their academic journey from primary to professional education. The fund also tries to bring out the talent in children in the areas of sports, art and crafts, music, acting, athletics etc. and groom them in extra-curricular activities.

To help identify and trace sexual exploitation and child pornography-related crimes, the Foundation took the help of technology and set up a TRACE unit in Maharashtra with assistance from the State Government. A trained person has been placed in the concerned office to use software and tools to generate relevant reports and present them to authorities in an effective manner to help them curb online crimes against children.

Cyber training and skill development for Constables, Police Inspectors, Assistant Police Inspectors and Superintendent of Police have been conducted to arm them with requisite know-how.

The Foundation strives to make child-friendly villages where children are protected and free from any threats. The village council is first taken into confidence and baseline socio-economic surveys are conducted followed by enrolling children in schools. Children who are into child labour are slowly withdrawn and brought into mainstream schooling. This is followed by the formation of bal panchayats, women’s and youth groups.

Government welfare schemes are connected to the school and units to ensure quality education, water and sanitation facilities. The bal panchayats are finally given recognition by the village councils along with educating the community on child rights and sensitising them. The village is then declared a Bal Mitra Gram and handed over to the Gram Panchayat for management.

This programme is a version of the Bal Mitra Gram Programme tailored to suit urban slums. It operates in the urban slums in the city of New Delhi. The children of underprivileged people are encouraged to join schools where all-round education is imparted. Remedial classes are held for drop-outs and students having learning issues.

The children are taught to think about community upliftment also along with their own interests. Community cleanliness activities are regularly taken up by the Foundation and girls are accorded special focus in its programmes. This programme also takes up the method of forming bal panchayats and empowering children to speak out and make themselves heard.