Status of Manual Scavengers in India

India is a signatory to the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet the prevalence of manual scavenging in the country undermines the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), reduced inequalities (Goal 10), and peace, justice and strong institutions (Goal 10).

The policy brief presents evidence on challenges faced by manual scavengers based on research studies and publically available data, and analyses these issues from the SDGs lens.