Some Important achievements:

Our achievements and persistent efforts being made in this direction are:

1. Against all odds, Bandhua Mukti Morcha (BLLF) has achieved the release of over 1,75,000 bonded Indians from the shackles of slavery. Of these, about 26,000 were children. A large number of them have been rehabilitated. From the Carpet Industry alone, about 10,000 children mostly migrants were rescued and sent back home.

2. BMM set up ten non-formal education centres for child labour in stone quarries of Faridabad (eight) and in brick kilns (two) Meerut District, with financial aid from ILO/IPEC and other funding agencies. Another one has been set up in Garhi (slum area) East of Kailash, South Delhi with aid from individual donors.

3. Another unique venture of BMM is that of providing vocational training skills and basic education/literacy to ex-bonded child labour at Dayanand Shilp Vidyalaya, Gurukul Indraprastha, Faridabad. Two batches comprising 65 child trainees have passed out successfully.

They had undergone one-year training in two trades i.e. tailoring and carpentry combined with training in education/literacy, yoga and spiritual development.

This programme has been appreciated both by foreign and Indian dignitaries. It has completely transformed these trainees and now they feel confident to open a new vista of life for themselves and their families to lead a dignified life.

Awards:

• Anti-Slavery International Award - London, 1990
  
• Freedom and Human Rights Award - Bern, Switzerland
  
• Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhawana (Peace & Harmony) Award - New Delhi, India 2004.
  
• Right to Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Peace Prize)- Sweden, 2005.
  
• M.A. Thomas National Human Rights Award 2006 - Banglore, India
• Regional & National Seminar on Bonded and Child Labour

For the second time a South Asian Seminar on Bonded Child Labour was organised in New Delhi - 30th Nov. - 1st Dec. 1996. Delegates from Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka participated. It was a landmark in the quest for solidarity among the NGOs of South Asia on this vital issue. The mission heads in Delhi also participated. A Delhi statement by the people of South Asia on the elimination of child labour was issued.

A National seminar on bonded labour is a regular annual feature. Of greater importance was the 2-day seminar held on 21-22 Aug. 1988. This was preceded by a protest fast by child labourers at Rajghat on 13th Aug. 1998 on the eve of 51st Independence Day. The fast was to protest against inhuman exploitation of children deprived of fundamental rights to childhood education, health care etc.

In the evening the then President of India Mr. K. R. Narayanan invited all the fasting chidren to his Presidential Palace (Rastrapati Bhawan) offered them sweets. He not only accepted their memorandum but in a rare gesture of compassion he and his wife the first lady mingled with the children. Two days later, on 15th Aug. 1998, while delivering the historic speech before the joint sitting of Indian Parliament on the conclusion of the golden jubilee celebration of India's Independence he made special mention of the cause of child labour and his Government's pledge to abolish it.