Iqbal Masih

Iqbal Masih was a Pakistani child laborer who escaped bonded labor and became an international advocate against child labor. He was murdered in Pakistan in 1995, aged twelve.

Connect

Ehsan Ullah Khan: A Pakistani activist who founded the Bonded Labour Liberation Front and campaigned against bonded labor. Khan helped Masih escape bonded labor and supported his later advocacy.
Bonded labor: A form of forced labor in which a person works to repay a debt under conditions that restrict freedom. Masih was sold into bonded labor to repay a family debt.
International Labour Organization: A United Nations agency that sets international labor standards and promotes decent work. Its standards and programs address forms of child labor that Masih challenged.
World's Children's Prize: An international award established in Sweden that recognizes contributions to children’s rights. The prize’s history and naming have been associated with Masih’s legacy.
International Day against Child Labour: An annual observance on June 12 established by the International Labour Organization to focus attention on child labor. The observance reflects the global advocacy context in which Masih’s story is remembered.
Bonded Labour Liberation Front: A Pakistani organization founded to free people from bonded labor and oppose the system that sustains it. The organization connected Masih’s escape to organized resistance against bonded labor.
Child labor: Work that deprives children of their childhood, education, or development, or exposes them to harm. Masih’s case became a prominent example in campaigns against child labor.
International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour: An International Labour Organization program launched in 1992 to support the elimination of child labor. The program represents the international policy effort aligned with Masih’s campaigning.
Iqbal Masih Award: A United States award recognizing efforts to eliminate child labor, named for Iqbal Masih. The award turns Masih’s name into a continuing recognition of anti-child-labor work.
Children's rights movement: A broad movement seeking legal protection, welfare, and participation rights for children. Masih’s activism connected opposition to child labor with wider demands for children’s rights.