This briefing presents data on the situation of Dalit women generally, and Dalit women engaged in manual scavenging specifically – outlining the discrimination and disadvantages they face, and the obstacles they encounter in trying to improve their economic situation. The report also presents an overview of existing governments schemes for rehabilitation and access to alternative livelihoods and provides a list of recommendations.
Together with Part 2, these briefings show the interlinkages between education and the economic disadvantages faced by children from the manual scavenging community. The briefings provide an overview of the different government programmes and scholarships intended to address this problem, outline the challenges faced by the children in trying to access these entitlements, analyse recent budget allocations for these programmes (including the highly concerning removal of a separate scholarship specifically for children of those engaged in manual scavenging) and propose recommendations.
Together with Part 1, these briefings show the interlinkages between education and the economic disadvantages faced by children from the manual scavenging community. The briefings provide an overview of the different government programmes and scholarships intended to address this problem, outline the challenges faced by the children in trying to access these entitlements, analyse recent budget allocations for these programmes (including the highly concerning removal of a separate scholarship specifically for children of those engaged in manual scavenging) and propose recommendations.
Achieving gender equality is a complex process and government policies play a vital role in it. Gender gaps across the country have been worsened by cultural and societal norms and most recently by the pandemic. One of the ways to ensure equality in public expenditure is to employ Gender Responsive budgeting from the formulation stage itself. The status of the gender-responsive budget is a major cause of concern particularly from the Dalit perspective. It is unclear, vague and unjust considering that the Dalits are the most vulnerable community and are marginalized in the majority of the socio-economic and educational sectors. Producing a gender budget statement is the mechanism adopted by the Indian government, however, the status of Dalit women remains the same with almost negligible allocation for them in FY2023-24 too.
The Indian Constitution, in its preamble, guarantees equality and social justice for all citizens. Yet, the deeply entrenched practice of manual scavenging, a relic of the caste system, continues to blight the lives of millions, particularly Dalits. This abhorrent practice, despite being legally prohibited, persists due to the complex interplay of socio-economic, political, and cultural factors.
Manual scavenging is defined under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, as any person engaged in manually handling human excreta. This hazardous and dehumanising task of cleaning human excreta from dry latrines, septic tanks, and open drains, is inherently linked to caste discrimination. Dalits, historically relegated to the lowest rung of the social hierarchy, have been traditionally assigned this degrading occupation. This systemic oppression perpetuates a cycle of poverty, ill health, and social exclusion for generations.
While the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, prohibits manual scavenging, its effective implementation requires adequate financial resources for rehabilitation and alternative livelihood programs.
While the challenges faced by manual scavengers are multifaceted, the situation is particularly dire for Dalit women. They bear the brunt of the social stigma, face heightened risks of sexual violence and exploitation, and have limited access to education and employment opportunities.
The intersectionality of caste, gender, and age discrimination creates a unique set of challenges for these women, exacerbating their vulnerability and hindering their socio-economic mobility. This section aims to shed light on the lived realities of Dalit women engaged in Manual Scavengings, their daily struggles, the psychological impact of this occupation, and the obstacles they face in escaping this cycle of poverty and discrimination. By understanding their experiences, we can develop targeted interventions to address their specific needs and empower them to lead dignified and fulfilling lives.
Social justice is the aspiration of the Indian Constitution that it strives to achieve. The Constitution mandates the state to ensure and secure social justice and order based on equal opportunity so that it is not denied to any citizen on any grounds. When we examine the country based on five basic indicators of poverty, inequality, employment, violence, and atrocities, the numbers are indicative of the marginalization of communities such as the Dalits and Adivasis, leading to widening inequalities.
‘Entitlements to economic rights become narrower and narrower the farther down the hierarchical ladders of the caste system. Without intervention, classically untouchables, or Dalits, who lie at the very bottom of the social order, find themselves restricted to the most despised occupations and the lowest wages’ writes Katherine S. Newman and Sukhadeo Thorat.
Discrimination, exclusion, inequality, and the system of untouchability based on caste continue to operate and thrive very securely in the country. Despite formal legal protection by the law, discriminatory norms continue to be reinforced by the state and non-state actors often through violence. There are very strong caste divisions between Dalits and other caste groups in housing, religious practices, employment, and marriage, among many others. The incidence of violence against the Dalit has not shown a decline and remains persistent in different forms like murder, individual and gang rape, physical assault, verbal abuse, naked parading, and so forth.
Exclusion and discrimination are not only visible in the civic and political spheres but also in the economic sphere, particularly in terms of occupation, labor employment, and market arrangement. Dalits are often restricted to particular kinds of occupations often considered polluting with low wages and with very less options of mobility.
Manual scavenging is one of the definitive examples reflecting their economic position in the labor market. Based on the caste hierarchy, Dalits make up the majority of the manual scavengers in the country, out of which Dalit women are seen in huge numbers. The entrenched concept of pollution and discrimination connected with manual scavenging makes it difficult for them to find any alternative livelihood opportunities pushing them into the age-old vicious circle of poverty and exclusion.
In our country, the accurate figure related to the population of persons engaged in manual scavenging is a subject of dispute. So, the real picture is away from the public view.
In India, it is sad to note that over the last few years, the deaths of sewage workers have increased, with 634 deaths related to manual scavenging recorded in the last twenty-five years. As per the data provided by Safai Karamchari Andolan roughly 45 deaths are reported annually in India while admitting that many of them even go unreported. With a lack of minimum wages, lack of protective gear, absence of alternate economic opportunities, social security, and health risks the practise of manual scavenging poses serious questions on the human rights situation in our country.
This national report provides an analysis of the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on safai karmachari communities and how they were subjected to higher risks and significant challenges due to caste discrimination. The report includes several case studies that share the stories of what people from the safai karmachari community had to face in this period.