#SayftySpotlight

Professor @ShanthaSinha1 is an Indian anti-child labour activist & the founder of Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation. From 2007 to 2013, she was the first chairperson for the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights ( @ncpcr_).

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Prof. Sinha has also worked as a professor in the political science department at the University of Hyderabad since 1979. 

Through her work in releasing bonded labourers in Andhra Pradesh, Prof. Sinha found out that 40% were children.

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She noted that there were programs in place to help adult workers who left these bonded jobs but no assistance related to children’s rights or education. This is when Sinha decided to make a change & fight for the rights of child labourers to be free from exploitation. 

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Prof. Sinha’s willingness to fight child labour has contributed to the huge reduction of child labour in Andhra Pradesh, India. Thanks to MV Foundation, more than 1,000 villages are free of child labour & 600,000 children liberated from bonded labour.

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Over time, the MV Foundation has developed programs to help children enter school & withdraw from work to ensure they complete their education. These programs give children the tools they need to enter the workforce as adults, of their own free will. 

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Due to the outstanding dedication of Prof. Sinha and other activists, the Indian parliament passed the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act in 2005, leading to the creation of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act in 2007.

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Shantha Sinha also received the Padma Shri in 1998 by the Government of India for her activism. 

Professor Sinha’s activism against child labor has led to many children being able to complete their education. She is an example of how one person can make a difference! 

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This post is brought to you by Anjali (@anjiedayal) and Kavita ( @kavita1010) as part of the #SayftySpotlight series. Every Saturday, we highlight the achievements of inspiring Indian women.

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