On July 16, 2008, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Ending Global Slavery” Competition and would like to pass on the following feedback for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of innovators who are exposing, confronting and ending modern day slavery. We wish you continued luck with your sustainable, innovative, and socially impactful initiatives.

All the best, The Changemakers Team

“This initiative demonstrates substantial legal expertise and strong leadership in using the law to fight for the release and fair treatment of India’s slaves. It has proven quite successful and, by means of systematic policy change, has already managed to free over 30,000 people through its programs. Given the success of the project thus far, we are interested in learning more about potential partnership opportunities to help further spread the initiative’s model.”

- Changemakers “Ending Global Slavery” Judges: United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking, International Organization for Migration, Design Within Reach, Vital Voices Global Partnership, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Humanity United.

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The Changemakers Team
Ashoka's Changemakers

I know Jaiji for some years now. He is doing commendable work to free bondedlabourers in Punjab; in other states in spite of tremendous opposition from and reluctance of the Judiciary and the Police in Punjab to take action on behalf of bondedlabourers. We are together in the National alliance on Bonded Labour - NABoL, promoted in July 2007. We with another organisation were supported for two years for a programe on legal empowermen of bonded labourers by AntiSlavery International, London. Jaiji also requires to be commended because coming from dalit community himself and from very poor academic background, he has educated himself, especially on the law on bondedlabour and all other labour legislations, built up a strong support base in his state and other places and is continuously filing cases in the courts on behalf of bondedlabourers and conducting many raids to rescue bondedlabourers. He has brought two compendiums of all the Supreme Court and High Court Judgements on bondedlabour. Though he has highlighted his use of the legal system in freeing bonded labourers, he has also devoted time and energy to develop a movement of bondedlabourers and dalits. I feel, legal system alone cannot fully deliver justice to bondedlabourers or victims of any social evil. The judiciary in Punjab has been consistently turning a blind eye and may be using a malicious eye against bonded labour in support of the keepers of bondedlabour, because its top echelons hail from that community. Legal system is a weapon to us especially since we have Article 23 in our Constitution prohibiting all forms of forced labourand a powerful and unique Act on bondedlabour. We also require to build up a movement of dalits, adivasis and bondedlabourers to take up the cause of bondedlabour. Jaiji is doing all this and I wish him great success in all his endeavours. I wholeheartedly recommend him to the Ashoka Award on Ending Global Slavery.

With a clear aim to address very real problems of human rights abuses and inequality, using the law backed up by informed, persistant and creative actions, undertaken by people from different parts of the world who work together, people who have the conviction to try to improve the lives of others and who are making progress in achieving their goal - this project is an inspiration to all. And for us in England an example of the kind of active citizenship many of us are committed to educating young people about through citizenship education in schools.

Dear Dana,

Under the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act 1976, released bonded labourers are entitled to 20,000rupees (about $460), or 25,000rupees if they are from the lowest castes. There are other forms of compensation too. These are easy to claim for, but difficult to get. Ex-slaves often need our support to get this money.

Thanking you,
Jai Singh

Hello Jai, Could you please describe the extent of the compensation and support that victims are entitled to under the law? Thank you.
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers

I like this project because it is a real innovation with a proven track record in successfully releasing thousands of slaves - it is clearly having an impact. It also addresses a real form of modern slavery not just a general social problem.

Jo Hill