US envoy to the United Nations Nikki Haley today met Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and reiterated America's commitment to ending child trafficking. The two talked about the challenges in ensuring children safety and rights, prevention of crime against children and also on the prospect of an international monitoring agency under UN.
Ms Haley, who is on a two-day visit to India, met Mr Satyarthi at the 'Mukti Ashram', a short-term rehabilitation home for rescued children in New Delhi to discuss children's rights, human rights and security matters, according to a statement by Mr Satyarthi's office.
Dubbing crimes against children as the "biggest crisis facing humanity currently", Mr Satyarthi urged the highest ranking Indian-American in the Trump administration that an international response mechanism be formed under the aegis of the United Nations to address the issue.
RT @USUN: We visited a @K_Satyarthi supported children’s shelter to discuss the challenges of child labor, trafficking & sexual abuse. We heard many stories from children who thankfully have been freed & encouraged them to pay it forward by helping children in similar situations. pic.twitter.com/9msR3x4jGd
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) June 27, 2018
"It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every child is safe and afforded every opportunity to have a full life. I look forward to sharing our commitment to end child trafficking," said Ms Haley.
The two also discussed international problems pertaining to children's safety and rights. Ms Haley also interacted at length with the children who had been rescued from various factories by Mr Satyarthi's team at his NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan," according to the statement.
"India and the US are two of the largest democracies in the world and should take collective responsibility for the protection of children," Mr Satyarthi said.
Ms Haley is on her first visit to India since becoming the US envoy to UN. She had earlier visited India in late 2014, when she was the South Carolina Governor. Ms Haley is the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Punjab and is the first Indian-American to serve in a Cabinet-level position in any US presidential administration.
HALEY VOWS TO STRENGTHEN INDIA-US RELATIONS
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who is in India, said she is here to strengthen bilateral relations and to continue the democratic bonds.
The highest ranking American of Indian origin in US President Donald Trump's administration, Haley will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj later in the day.
"I am here to once again solidify our love for India, our belief in the friendship that India and the US have and our willingness to make that relation even stronger," Haley said during her visit to the Humayun's tomb.
Mentioning that there were multiple level of opportunities between the two countries, Haley said India and the US shared the value of freedom.
"Whether it is countering terrorism, whether it is the fact that we want to continue our democratic opportunities, or start to work together more strongly on the military aspect, there are lots of things that India and the US have in common," she said.
She added: "It is great to be back."
During her two-day visit, Haley will meet senior Indian officials, NGO and business leaders, students and members of the inter-faith community.
It is Haley's first trip to India after being appointed as the US ambassador to the UN.
