Payal Jangid
President Obama greets a young girl
Payal Jangid meeting Barack Obama in 2015
Born2002 (age 21–22)
Rajasthan's Alwar district, India
Known forchildren's rights activist

Payal Jangid is an Indian children's rights activist. She campaigns against child marriage, child labor and for the right to education for girls.[1][2]

Jangid was born in Hinsla in Rajasthan's Alwar district, India. In 2012, Hinsla became a Bal Mitra Gram (child-friendly village), a concept forwarded by Kailash Satyarthi and his children's foundation since 2001; this provided inspiration to Jangid. When she was 11, she prevented her own child marriage and went on to prevent the child marriage of her sister as well with the help of Sumedha Kailash and her children's trust.[3][4][5] She became the leader (Sarpanch/President) of the Bal Panchayat (children's parliament) in her area, consisting of children from a number of nearby villages.[4][6] The Bal Panchayat takes up local issues and also coordinates with the Gram Panchayats. Following her first election she became a Deputy Sarpanch. She was told about various issues that the children faced,[7]

They told us about child labour, child marriage and women in veils being dated customs. Then there were the issues we face in schools; lack of a toilet being the biggest issue for girls. This was a major reason why many girls wouldn't come to school, because they would have to go outside, in the open. When we went to the panchayat and told them that there are no toilets in the girls' school, they felt ashamed that they haven't paid any attention to children's issues.

Her efforts have helped her village become child marriage free.[5] In 2013 she was chosen as a jury member for the World's Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child in 2013.

US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama met Jangid at the Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi in January 2015, with Nobel Peace Prize recipient Kailash Satyarthi.[8][9]

In 2017, Reebok honoured her with its 'Young Achiever Award'.[10] In 2019 she was awarded a Goalkeepers Changemaker Award, the youngest Changemaker awardee.[2][11][12]

References

  1. ^ "Payal, India". World's Children's Prize. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Rajasthan Teen Gets "Changemaker" Award From Gates Foundation". NDTV. Press Trust of India. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  3. ^ "17-year-old Rajasthan crusader against child marriage gets global recognition". The Times of India. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Activist Snapshot: Payal Jangid". Kailash Satyarthi's Children Foundation. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b DeSantis, Rachel (2 October 2019). "17-Year-Old Is Fighting to End Child Marriage in India After Escaping It Herself". PEOPLE. With reporting by Nick Maslow. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Indian girl gets Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation award for fight against child marriage". India Today. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2021. ((cite magazine)): Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Ahuja, Aastha (21 March 2021). "How Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundations Bal Mitra Gram Is Empowering Children". NDTV. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  8. ^ "US first lady Michelle Obama in New Delhi (Photo Gallery)". India Today. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  9. ^ Couch, Robbie (27 January 2015). "Obamas Honor Work Of 12-Year-Old Child Slave Turned Activist During India Trip". HuffPost. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Payal Jangid - Fighting For Children Rights One Village At A Time". Woke. 7 March 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Rajasthan girl Payal Jangid gets Changemaker Award from Gates Foundation". The Indian Express. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  12. ^ Ratnakumar, Evelyn (1 September 2021). "How Payal Jangid Inspired the Girls of Her Village by Refusing to Marry at Age 11". in.makers.yahoo.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
Categories