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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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.