Marking a significant milestone for India in the global legal arena, eminent child rights lawyer Bhuwan Ribhu has become the first Indian lawyer to be conferred with the ‘Medal of Honour’ by the World Jurist Association (WJA) at the World Law Congress. Held from May 4 to May 6 in the Dominican Republic, the event brought together over 1500 legal luminaries and 300 speakers from more than 70 countries. The world’s oldest association of jurists honoured Bhuwan Ribhu for his pioneering work of over two decades, using legal interventions and grassroots mobilisation to advance child protection and child rights.
During his acceptance speech, Bhuwan Ribhu said, “Children should never have to fight for justice alone. The law must be their shield, and justice must be their right.” He received the ‘Medal of Honour’ by Eddy Olivares Ortega, Minister of Labour of Dominican Republic, and Javier Cremades, President of the World Jurist Association. Also present on the occasion was Minister of Women of the Dominican Republic Mayra Jiménez.
Lauding Bhuwan Ribhu’s work and achievements over the years, Javier Cremades, President of the WJA, stated, "Bhuwan firmly believes that justice is the strongest pillar of democracy and has dedicated his life to the service of justice for children and women who are victims of sexual crimes in his country and globally. His efforts have saved hundreds of thousands of children and women and set legal frameworks that will protect generations to come. This award is a recognition of his tireless work building a safe, more just world for children through the power of the law.”
With over two decades of advocacy and legal intervention, Bhuwan Ribhu is a driving force behind the transformation of India’s child protection ecosystem. He has led legal campaigns and on-ground actions combatting child marriage, trafficking, child labour, and child sexual abuse. Through his sustained efforts, systemic reforms are now pushing India toward the tipping point to end child marriage by 2030