Community-Led Research on Sanitation Workers: Health, Safety, Dignity and Technology for Change
Year: 2025
Type: report
Abstract: This collection brings together three reports of a study led by the South Asian Sanitation Worker and Labour Network (SASLN) examining the conditions and experiences of sanitation workers in India. Together, the reports explore occupational safety and health (OSH), mental health, and the role of science and technology in eliminating hazardous and manual sanitation work. The findings highlight the interconnected effects of caste-based discrimination, insecure employment, inadequate safety and healthcare provisions, financial insecurity, stigma and limited access to mental health support. They also examine the potential of mechanisation and robotic technologies to eliminate manual scavenging, while identifying the institutional and socio-economic barriers that limit their adoption. Across the three reports, the evidence points to the need for systemic action that centres workers’ dignity, safety, health and rights, alongside stronger implementation, employer accountability, accessible health services and appropriate technological solutions.The reports complement one another particularly well, with the OSH study examines physical safety and workplace conditions, the mental health study examines psychological well-being and access to support, and the science and technology report considers how hazardous manual work can be eliminated through mechanisation and technological change.
Authors: Akshithanand, Balmiki, Anil Kumar, Kumari, Anju, Hela, Dinesh, Kaur, Gurpreet, Waghela, Ishwar, Gopal, Jai, Singh Parihar, Jogendra, Kaur, Kamaljeet, Narayanan, Neha, Sharma, Parth, Narayanan, Pradeep, Kachui, Ramkui, Ram, Ranbir Kumar, Basfore, Rohit, Hyder Iqbal, Sarah, Sapriban, Seema, Jhinjot, Sudha, Shipurkar, Tarini, KH, Themyophi, Kumar, Vikesh, Sanjeev, Juilee, Joseph, Athena Rose
Institution: Praxis Institute for Participatory Practices
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204229500