Triveni Acharya

{{short description|Indian journalist and activist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}

{{Use Indian English|date=May 2016}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Triveni Acharya

| nationality = Indian

| other_names =

| known_for =

| occupation =

| organization = Rescue Foundation

| awards = Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award (2010)
Civil Courage Prize (2011)
World of Children Humanitarian Award (2013)

}}

Triveni Acharya is an Indian journalist and activist living in Mumbai, best known for her work with the anti-sex-trafficking group the Rescue Foundation.

The group was founded by her husband, Balkrishna Acharya, but Triveni Acharya assumed its presidency following his death in a car accident in 2005.{{cite web |url=http://www.rescuefoundation.net/about-us.html |title=About Us |author= |date= |publisher=Rescue Foundation |accessdate=15 January 2012}} The organization is devoted to the "rescue, rehabilitation and repatriation of victims for human trafficking from different parts of India, Nepal & Bangladesh and sold for forced prostitution",{{cite web|url=http://www.rescuefoundation.net/home.html|title=Welcome to Rescue Foundation|publisher=Rescue Foundation|accessdate=15 January 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130022006/http://www.rescuefoundation.net/home.html|archivedate=30 January 2012|df=dmy-all}} and has been conducting "brothel raids" since 1993.{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/life/article2656540.ece |title=Bound cruelly to their work |author=Mallika Kapur |year=2011 |newspaper=The Hindu Business Line |accessdate=15 January 2012}} The organization frees roughly 300 girls a year, and also provides counseling, job training, and HIV testing. Because these raids often result in serious financial loss or imprisonment for sex traffickers, Acharya has received several death threats as the result of her work.{{cite web |url=http://www.civilcourageprize.org/acharya.htm |title=Triveni Acharya, Civil Courage Prize Honoree 2011 |author= |year=2011 |publisher=Civil Courage Prize |accessdate=15 January 2012}}

The Rescue Foundation has received several national and international awards for its work under Acharya's presidency. In 2004, the acharya received Jhansi Ki Rani Lakshmi Bai (for courage).{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/09/stories/2008030958490800.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313213529/http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/09/stories/2008030958490800.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 March 2008 |title=A woman-friendly step, says Sonia |date=9 March 2008 |newspaper=The Hindu |accessdate=15 January 2012}} {{Cite web|title=Stree Shakti Puraskar for outstanding acheievements in area of women empowerment presented|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive2/erelease.aspx?relid=36129|access-date=2024-01-14|website=archive.pib.gov.in}} {{Cite book|url=https://wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/AR2007-08.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007-08|publisher=Ministry of Women and Child Development|pages=41|chapter=Programmes for Women|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924132232/https://wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/AR2007-08.pdf|archive-date=2020-09-24}} Taiwanese president Ma Ying-Jeou presented the Acharya the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, along with a cash grant of US$100,000;{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Indian-NGO-wins-accolades/Article1-636642.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517221025/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Indian-NGO-wins-accolades/Article1-636642.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 May 2013 |title=Indian NGO wins accolades |date=10 December 2010 |newspaper=Hindustan Times |accessdate=15 January 2012}} the organization had been nominated for the award by a former trafficking victim saved by the Foundation.{{cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2010/11/09/2003488095 |title=Rescue Foundation wins this year's rights award |author=Flora Wang |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=9 November 2010 |accessdate=15 January 2012}} In 2011, Acharya herself won the Civil Courage Prize of The Train Foundation, awarded annually to those "who resolutely combat evil".{{cite web |url=http://www.civilcourageprize.org/about-prize.htm|title=About the Prize |author= |year=2012 |publisher=Civil Courage Prize |accessdate=15 January 2012}} She shared the prize with Lydia Cacho Ribeiro, a Mexican journalist also awarded for her efforts against "sex trafficking, domestic violence and child pornography".{{cite web |url=http://www.civilcourageprize.org/honoree-2011.htm |title=2011 Civil Courage Prize Honoree |author= |date=October 2011 |publisher=civilcourageprize.org |accessdate=4 January 2012}} In 2013, Triveni became the 2013 Humanitarian Honoree of World of Children Award in conjunction with her work with The Rescue Foundation.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofchildren.org/honoree/triveni-acharya/ |title=2013 Humanitarian Honoree World of Children Award |author= |date=September 2013 |publisher=worldofchildren.org |accessdate=24 September 2013}} Along with the recognition the award came with a $75,000 cash grant.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldofchildren.org/theaward/awards-we-give/ |title=World of Children Award Cash Grant Awards |author= |date= |publisher=worldofchildren.org |accessdate=24 September 2013}}