Can you imagine the toll an 18-hour work shift takes on a child physically and mentally? 

UNICEF estimates 12 per cent of children aged 5-14 years in South Asia are involved in child labor. This equates to 41 million children. Children should be free to attend school, socialize and work according to legal limits as they become of age to do so. While no one organization can solve this massive problem, JVI is committed to leveraging our justice partnerships at the grassroots and government levels to bring freedom to as many children as possible. 

We celebrate our victories one child at a time. 

December 17, 2021, marked an important day in the lives of three minors who were rescued from forced child labor in Delhi, India. Forced to work 18-hour shifts and paid less than the minimum wage, the minors were held captive, abused and exploited for months with no end to their misery in sight.  A rescue team led by government authorities working closely with JVI partners ensured the children were safely removed from the dangerous facilities and from the people harming them. The children are receiving access to a range of aftercare services enabling them to heal and pursue their education and childhood in a healthy environment. 

December 17, 2021, also highlights an important milestone for JVI and its partners as this rescue marked 100 interventions in Delhi, India; one of many locations in South Asia where JVI works. 

• Over 1,200 victims have been rescued from various forms of human trafficking in Delhi alone and over half were child laborers. 
• JVI-sponsored lawyers have assisted prosecutors in filing 160 legal cases and represented more than 1,300 survivors in Delhi courts. This team of professional lawyers operates within the legal system to pursue justice on behalf of each survivor and to ensure that no trafficker walks free. 
• These survivors have been enrolled in JVI’s two-year aftercare program, where they are given access to life skills, education, livelihood options, financial guidance, and additional resources. With this holistic support, survivors are empowered and equipped to thrive. 
• JVI and partners work closely with authorities to ensure payment of minimum wages, recovery of back wages, and access to other relevant compensation benefits. Through these efforts, survivors have received significant back wages from perpetrators and thousands of dollars in government-issued rehabilitation funds. 

This pursuit of freedom, justice and restoration has been championed in India’s capital city thanks to collaboration and leadership from local government authorities, JVI’s local justice partner organizations, and our faithful financial contributors giving generously to support this critical work. Through partnerships, JVI’s reach has grown significantly in recent years. In 2021, JVI and its partners conducted more rescue operations than in any other year in JVI’s history. 

With your generous support, we hope to rescue thousands more and bring new life and meaning to every survivor. Together we can transform lives and change oppressed communities for good.