Vishwakarma Shakti Sangh Foundation

Payal Jangid: The Journey of a Fearless Child Rights Advocate

Payal Jangid, a determined voice for child rights, hails from the modest village of Hinsla in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. From a very young age, she began challenging deep-rooted social evils like child marriage and child labour. Today, she is widely recognized for promoting girls' education and standing up for children's dignity and rights.

At just 11 years old, Payal took a bold stand by stopping her own child marriage. Not only that, she also intervened to prevent her younger sister’s wedding. These courageous acts were supported by social worker Sumedha Kailash and her children’s welfare trust — marking the beginning of Payal’s lifelong commitment to justice for children.

Her leadership blossomed when Hinsla was declared a Bal Mitra Gram (Child-Friendly Village), an initiative founded by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi. The program empowers children to voice their concerns and lead change within their communities. Through this platform, Payal became the head of the Bal Panchayat (Children’s Parliament) and took the lead in addressing serious issues like child labour, child marriage, and lack of sanitation in schools — particularly the absence of toilets, which was a major reason girls dropped out.

Thanks to her leadership, Hinsla was eventually declared free of child marriage — a groundbreaking achievement in an area where such customs were once seen as unchangeable.

Payal’s relentless activism soon caught global attention. In 2013, she was selected as a jury member for the World’s Children’s Prize. In 2019, she received the Goalkeepers Changemaker Award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. One of the high points of her journey came in 2015 when she met former U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama alongside Kailash Satyarthi. Later, in 2017, she received the Reebok Young Achiever Award.

Her story reflects the wider global movement towards gender equality, access to education, and child empowerment. Organizations like Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, Save the Children, Plan International, and Global Society are working alongside young changemakers like Payal to eliminate injustice and inequality from the grassroots.

Organizations Aligned with Payal Jangid’s Mission

The Centre for Integrated Development (CID), based in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, is another impactful organization dedicated to empowering underprivileged and vulnerable communities. Founded in 1989, CID initially focused on environmental awareness through campaigns like “Green Gwalior, Clean Gwalior.” However, it soon expanded into education and rights-based work to uplift backward and marginalized groups.

By 1992, the organization began integrating legal advocacy and community development, working towards a society where every individual has equal access to resources and opportunities. Their ground-level efforts closely mirror the values that Payal Jangid represents — creating lasting change by empowering those who are often left unheard.