Award will give strength to children's struggle: Satyarthi

Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi who Friday won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 expressed hope that the award will give strength to the struggle of millions of children working as labourers.

"This award is a dedication to all those people and activists fighting for the cause of children. I hope this will give strength to the struggle of children working as labourers," Satyarthi told IANS.

Satyarthi shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Pakistani teenager Malala Yousufzai who stood up to the Taliban and survived a near-fatal shooting.

Satyarthi, who runs the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an NGO that works for child rights, specially bonded labour, said that the award is an honour for fellow Indians as well as for all those children in the world whose voices were never heard before properly.

He said he was thankful to all those who have supported him in his struggle.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize for 2014 to Satyarthi and Malala Yousufzai "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education," a statement said.

The statement further said Satyarthi maintained "Gandhi's tradition, has headed various forms of protests and demonstrations, all peaceful, focusing on the grave exploitation of children for financial gain. He has also contributed to the development of important international conventions on children's rights".