The stigmatised caste system in India remains to be the key determinant of the fate of these workers. As a result, people, families and communities mainly ‘Dalits’ are compelled to perform these tasks which are not just hazardous and stigmatising but also highly underpaid. This not only makes their identities confined to sanitation work they are involved in, but also pushes them to accept the burden of inheritance, stigma and exploitation as social norms.
WaterAid India highlights the reality of sanitation work in India, and provides recommendations to improve their occupational health and safety.
WaterAid India (2019). The hidden world of sanitation workers in India WaterAid India
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