manual scavenging
An Indian English term for the deeply exploitative practice of cleaning pit latrines and open drains by hand, historically forced onto Dalit workers under the caste system.
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An Indian English term for the deeply exploitative practice of cleaning pit latrines and open drains by hand, historically forced onto Dalit workers under the caste system. The practice is illegal in India under modern law but persists in many areas. The term is used in social justice, journalism, and legal contexts to describe a specific and horrifying form of caste-based labor discrimination.
Activists pressured the municipality to end its reliance on manual scavenging and invest in proper sanitation infrastructure.
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A term used in India for the deeply exploitative practice of cleaning pit latrines, sewers, and septic tanks by hand — work historically forced upon Dalit communities under caste hierarchy. Despite being banned by Indian law, manual scavenging persists in many areas. The term is important sociopolitical vocabulary, not street slang, and is used in advocacy, journalism, and policy discussions about caste discrimination and labor rights.
NGOs working to end manual scavenging have documented thousands of active cases despite the legal prohibition.
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(India) The work of cleaning out pit latrines.
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(India, historical) A sweeper or scavenger of low caste.
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(India) A member of the Bhangi caste, traditionally restricted to cleaning latrines and handling dead bodies.
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An Indian and South Asian term for a labourer or manual worker, used across Hindi, Urdu, and related languages and common in Indian English. The word carries no particular stigma and is the ordinary term for someone who does physical labour. Also used in political and trade union contexts.