Advocate Lalitha Natarajan wins America's Iqbal Masih Award

Tags: Awards

Chennai-based advocate and activist Lalitha Natarajan won the 2023 Iqbal Masih Award for the Eradication of Child Labor presented by the US Department of Labor.

An Overview of the News

• The award ceremony took place on 30 May at the US Consulate General in Chennai, where Consul General Judith Ravin presented the award to Lalitha Natarajan.

• Lalitha Natarajan is known for her leadership in combating exploitative child labor in southern India.

• As a member of the Child Welfare Committee (North Zone) under the Department of Social Defence, Tamil Nadu, Natarajan ensures that child labor victims receive compensation as per the Child Labor Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

About Iqbal Masih Award

• It is an annual non-monetary award established by the US Congress in 2008.

• It is administered by the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking within the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) of the US Department of Labor.

• The award recognizes individuals or organizations making an extraordinary contribution to combating child labour.

• It is named after Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani child who was sold into slavery and forced to work in a carpet factory.

• He was murdered in 1995 at the age of twelve.

• The award aims to raise awareness about child labor and honour those fighting against it.

'Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012':

• This is the law related to child sexual abuse in India.

• This act was passed by the Parliament of India on 22 May 2012.

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development framed guidelines and regulations to aid in the implementation of the Act.

• In November 2012, rules were framed to ensure effective enforcement of the Act.

• The objective of the Act is to prevent, detect and prosecute sexual offences against children.

• It covers various forms of sexual abuse including molestation, rape and child pornography.