27 August, New Delhi: Women leaders from the manual scavenging community decry the inhumane practice of cleaning excreta from dry toilets and clearing carcasses with bare hands while addressing a press conference in the capital today. Demanding dignity, women community leaders from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat give a collective call to eradicate the practice in the country.

 

According to government statistics, an estimated one million dalits in India are manual scavengers with 98% of those engaged in scavenging work being women.

 

Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act 1993, makes the practice of manual scavenging an offence. Under the same law, Government of India committed to eradicate the practice by 31 December 2007 which has now been reset at March 2009.

 

"Government of India has not just missed the mark, but denies defiantly any existence of such practice whatsoever. And the practice of manual scavenging exists as a reminder of worst form of caste bondage in our society," says Sarika Sinha, regional manager ActionAid Bhopal.

 

Kiran, one of the 250 women from dalit community from Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh, was forced to take up the waste clearing work after marriage. "Scavenging is something that is handed down to daughter in laws and passed on to generations after," shares Kiran, "I was given a cane basket and told that clearing toilets is my destiny. I felt shattered."

 

Under Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers 2007, Rs. 735.60 crores have been allocated to rehabilitate the community and wipe off the practice of manual scavenging in India.

 

"Even with adequate fund allocation, the political will to address the issue does not exist" says Ashif, coordinator Garima Abhiyan, a campaign towards eradication of manual scavenging in the state of Madhya Pradesh

 

Women like Sugna Bai, Savithra Bai, Akhtar Bee and Lilaben Ben who are still engaged in manual scavenging are now determined to break the bondage and aspire for a respectful source of income and living.

 

"Our ancestors carried the latrines and we were forced to do the same. We want a life with respect and dignity now," they unanimously demand.

 

Campaigners demand implementation of existing laws and provisions to effectively eradicate the practice of manual scavenging in the country.

 

"A concerted effort and action is the only key to tackle the problem. The earnestness of commitment made by the government will have to show in implementation of policies and laws", said Manjula Pradeep of Navsarjan Trust.

 

Ends.

 

Notes to editor:
Garima Abhiyan, a campaign initiated in 2003 in Madhya Pradesh to abolish manual scavenging and rehabilitate the scavenging community to live with dignity.

 

Navsarjan Trust has been working with manual scavenging community in the Gujarat for the last10 years.

 

ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working in over 40 countries, taking sides with poor people to end poverty and injustice together. ActionAid has been supporting Garima Abhiyan in Madhya Pradesh.

 

Year 2008 marks UN International Year of Sanitation

 

United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Geneva 2007 states manual scavenging - the most indecent form of work.

 

The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 which punishes the employment of scavengers or the construction of dry (non-flush) latrines with imprisonment for up to one year and/or a fine as high as Rs.2,000/-.

 

Offenders are also liable to prosecution under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

 

Existence of any kind of untouchability or to exercise untouchability is a serious crime under the article 17 of Indian constitution.

 

Bonded Labour is also prohibited under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976