Jaipur, May 6 Marking a landmark moment for India on the global legal stage, eminent child rights lawyer Bhuwan Ribhu has become the first Indian to receive the ‘Medal of Honour’ from the World Jurist Association (WJA).
The award was presented at the World Law Congress, held from May 4 to 6 in the Dominican Republic.
The event brought together over 1,500 legal experts and 300 speakers from more than 70 countries.
Ribhu was recognised for over two decades of pioneering work advancing child protection and rights through legal intervention and grassroots mobilisation.
Since its founding in 1963, the WJA -- the world’s oldest association of jurists -- has honoured legendary figures including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, King Felipe VI of Spain, Rene Cassin, and Kerry Kennedy for their contributions to justice and the rule of law.
Over the past 20 years, Ribhu has filed and led 60 PILs that have resulted in landmark rulings by the Supreme Court and various High Courts in India.
He is the founder of Just Rights for Children (JRC), the world’s largest legal intervention network for child protection, with a growing international presence.
In Rajasthan alone, JRC works with 22 NGO partners across 44 districts, focusing on child protection and ending child marriage by 2030. The state faces a serious challenge, with 25.4 per cent child marriage prevalence according to NFHS-5 (2019–21), above the national average of 23.3 per cent.
Receiving the award from Eddy Olivares Ortega, Minister of Labour of the Dominican Republic, and Javier Cremades, President of the WJA, Ribhu said: “Children should never have to fight for justice alone. The law must be their shield, and justice must be their right.”
Also present was Mayra Jimenez, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Women.
Applauding Ribhu’s achievements, WJA President Javier Cremades said, “Bhuwan firmly believes that justice is the strongest pillar of democracy. His efforts have saved hundreds of thousands of children and women, setting legal frameworks that will protect generations to come.”
Ribhu’s work has led to systemic reforms aimed at ending child marriage, trafficking, child labour, and child sexual abuse. He remains a central force in the global movement to eliminate child marriage by 2030.
Reacting to the honour, JRC National Convenor Ravi Kant said, “This is a landmark moment not just for our network, but for India’s child rights movement. It recognises the power of legal action to protect children and highlights the tireless work of thousands of grassroots defenders.”
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