Manual Scavenging
- Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, Oct 2007. Niita Tank, 35, cleans the dry latrines of 25 houses and gets 43 eurocents per house per month. According to beliefs, Dalits are unclean, so treating human waste is left for Dalits such as Niita.
Manual scavenging is a caste-based and hereditary occupation for Dalits that is predominantly linked with forced labour.
It is estimated that around 1.3 million Dalits in India, mostly women, make their living through manual scavenging - a term used to describe the job of removing human excrement from dry toilets and sewers using basic tools such as thin boards, buckets and baskets, lined with sacking, carried on the head.
Manual scavengers earn as little as one rupee a day. Though this vile and inhumane practice was abolished by law in India in 1993 the practice is deeply entrenched in South Asian societies. A historic Supreme Court Ruling in May 2009 may help bring an end to this abhorrent practice in India. The Court held Government appointed District Collectors responsible for not eradicating the demeaning and hazardous practice.
Dalit scavengers are rarely able to take up another occupation due to discrimination related to their caste and occupational status, and are thus forced to remain scavengers. They are paid less than minimum wages and are often forced to borrow money from upper-caste neighbours in order to survive and consequently they end up maintaining the relationship of bondage.
In March 2012, a National Public Hearing on "Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers and their Children in India" was held to increase the political will to address the issues and sensitize other sections of the society and involve them rehabilitation efforts. >> Read report
In September 2012, a new and expanded bill on manual scavenging was submitted to the Indian Parliament. It is likely that it will be adopted in 2013.
In December 2012, a two-month long march to end manual scavenging - the Maila Mukti Yatra - crossed 18 Indian states and liberated thousands of Dalit scavengers. On the final day of the march, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, issued a statement of support to the participants.
Database
IDSN has created an extensive database on caste-based discrimination.
Click here for all documents on manual scavenging >>
Other resources
- IDSN BRIEFING PAPER (2012): Manual scavenging
- Pillay applauds Indian movement to eradicate manual scavenging (OHCHR news release, 31 Jan 2013)
- Scavengers’ march sends message of hope (IDSN press release, 31 Jan 2013)
- Maila Mukti Yatra website (national campaign for the eradication of manual scavenging in India 2012-2013)
- Parliamentarians in India raise their voices for the eradication of manual scavenging (IDSN News May 2012)
- Manual Scavenging highlighted by ILO and others in conferences, reports and a hearing (IDSN News April 2012)
- Written statement, 21st HRC session (IMADR, NCDHR and IDSN): “Stigma, “untouchability” and caste-based discrimination”
- Submission on stigmatization of Dalits in access to water and sanitation in India (NCDHR, 2012)
- Stigma and manual scavenging – Note by Safai Kamachari Andolan (2012)
- Study on rehabilitation of manual scavengers (implementation status of SRMS scheme) and “ Note on Uncompleted and unsuccessful rehabilitation by Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan – Jan Sahas (2012)
- ILO Project: Promotion of Equality at Work in India (good practice case, IDSN Consultation 2011)
- Garima Abhiyan - A story of Change (Jan Sahas) (good practice case, IDSN Consultation 2011)
- Steps towards the Elimination and Eradication of Manual Scavenging Practice - a manual for Advocacy on Manual Scavenging. Advocacy Plan on the Eradication of the practice of Manual Scavenging.
- Lesson series published by the Human Rights Correspondance School: An examination of the situation faced by Dalit communities working as manual scavengers and manhole workers
- See photos taken by Dalit community members on manual scavenging
Campaigning to stop manual scavenging
Several national and international campaigns have been launched to eliminate manual scavenging. In 2007, the ‘Liberation movement of those employed as scavengers’ (Safari Karamchari Andolan-SKA) launched an international campaign - ‘Action 2010’ demanding an end to manual scavenging by the October 2010 Commonwealth Games, in Delhi.
The same year, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Committee of Experts urged the Government of India to, “take decisive action to eradicate manual scavenging and to report on nation and state-wide action taken to put an end to this practice and on the progress made in the identification, liberation and rehabilitation of scavengers."
DSN-UK’s FOUL PLAY campaign was launched in solidarity with the SKA and made a number of recommendations to the Indian and the UK Governments, as well as the Commonwealth Secretariat which they are expected to fulfil before hosting the 2010 games. DSN-UK supported SKA in its demands including the release of over Rs. 800 crores for the rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers.
Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan - Jan Sahas is a national level movement which works for the total eradication of manual scavenging and the empowerment of Dalits and other vulnerable section of society. It is a partner of the ILO in India.
> Safai Karmachari Andolan - a movement to eradicate manual scavenging in India
> Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan - Jan Sahas
Videos - Manual Scavenging
Below are a selection of videos dealing with manual scavenging. Visit IDSN's YouTube Channel for more videos on other themes/countries.
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