When the pandemic became a child-rights crisis that impacted access to digital education for millions of children across the globe, 17-year-old Lalita Duhariya, from Rajasthan’s Dera village, couldn’t just sit at home and do nothing. The young girl, at the cusp of adulthood, carried out a signature campaign demanding the continuity of education. Leading the Child-Friendly Village Program and being a part of the National Children’s Parliament initiated by the Kailash Satyarthi’s Children Foundation, Lalita democratically participated in the decision-making process in her village and stood for the rights of several children by ensuring their voices were heard through her work.
“I… have been working relentlessly towards the protection of children during the pandemic so that the Councils’ commitment towards zero-tolerance against child labour is not compromised. But despite being part of the government and the corporate sector, you all are not using your privilege and power to the advantage of the marginalized children… During this pandemic, children’s education is affected the most and I want the government to do something,” shared Lalita in an article with Kailash Satyarthi’s Children Foundation.
Lalita did not let her circumstances come in her way of working for ensuring children get the education they deserve. Her father is a construction labourer and her mother is a housewife. Since 2015, Lalita has been working for the education of girls and promoting equality for both girls and boys in her village.
Lalita would go door-to-door and conduct classes for children who had dropped out of the school to become domestic helpers and ensure the children got two meals a day. She would also negotiate and have a dialogue with parents to send the children back to school. Through her work, she was able to re-enrol 16 dropout children back to school. Lalita’s dream is to become a doctor and she hopes to work in rural India. Lalita is also a recipient of the Ashoka changemakers award and Reebook fit to fight award.
