Majority World - Jan Sahas
The Challenge
More than 1.2 million people in India are engaged in 'manual scavenging' work – manual cleaning of human waste from dry latrines – daily. Virtually all are from historically excluded groups , the 'untouchable' caste. The women who engage in manual scavenging often face discrimination and marginalisation in their communities. They are denied access to water, sanitation and other basic services, and their children are even segregated from peers in school. Such patterns of exclusion, especially in relation to WASH, are among the most significant contributors to child malnutrition in these communities – which accounts for more than half of all under-five deaths in Madhya Pradesh alone.
The Response
Jan Sahas Social Development Society works in more than 4,000 villages in Madhya Pradesh, providing livelihoods support, education, nutrition, WASH and rights promotion activities to manual scavengers and other members of excluded communities. Jan Sahas has taken the lead in the national Campaign for Dignity, with the aim to end manual scavenging in India. Jan Sahas promotes better child health through hygiene education, water treatment and screening and care of severely malnourished children. Jan Sahas is directly changing the lives of more than 120,000 children each year. Through the national Campaign for Dignity, more than 14,000 manual scavengers have been liberated from the practice, with many women and children also receiving education about their rights. The campaign has also brought about policy change in the state and influenced the national Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
Photos: Suchit Nanda
http://www.starsfoundation.org.uk/awards/organisations/jan-sahas-social-development-society
Young mother breast feeding her child while attending the community meeting at Jamli which was organized by Jan Sahas on how malnutrition can be avoided.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.motherbreastbreast feedingnipplechildfeedingboobboobsmilkbreastmilkbreast milkbreast feedinfantmother's milkBamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72492510geolon75.92118963geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Mother and child at community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held at Jamli.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72491541geolon75.92127897geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
At the community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held at Jamli village.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72492525geolon75.92119393geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held under a tree at Jamli.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72487680geolon75.92122511geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
At the community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held at Jamli village.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72486942geolon75.92120851geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
At the community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held at Jamli village.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72486875geolon75.92120944geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Mother and child at community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held at Jamli.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72485489geolon75.92125458geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Young mother breast feeding her child while attending the community meeting at Jamli which was organized by Jan Sahas on how malnutrition can be avoided.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.childfeedingmotherbreastbreast feedingbreastfeedingnursingnippleboobboobsmilkbreastmilkbreast milkbreast feedinfantmother's milkyoung motherbreast feeding childnakednudeBamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72486116geolon75.92121479geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Young mother breast feeding her child while attending the community meeting at Jamli which was organized by Jan Sahas on how malnutrition can be avoided.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.childfeedingmotherbreastfeedingnursingbreastbreast feedingnippleboobboobsmilkbreastmilkbreast milkbreast feedinfantmother's milktounguemouthnipple mouthnakednudeBamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72487019geolon75.92121026geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Mother and child at community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held at Jamli.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72495157geolon75.92141819geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Mother and child at community meeting organized by Jan Sahas on WASH and nutrition held at Jamli.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.72496898geolon75.92139250geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73519309geolon76.01885180geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
At the village meeting at Bedaniya, Bal Panchayat (Childrens' Council) show how they clean their hands as taught by Jan Sahas.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73506918geolon76.01893316geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73513576geolon76.01888364geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Women actively participate in the village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73522113geolon76.01884985geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Women actively participate in the village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73512753geolon76.01886867geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Women actively participate in the village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73507090geolon76.01888888geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73509896geolon76.01889376geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73480998geolon76.02068903geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Children who were in the bal panchayat meeting playing after the finishing of the village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73491480geolon76.02047083geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
Children who were in the bal panchayat meeting playing after the finishing of the village meeting at Bedaniya where open discussion took place on village issues.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73487555geolon76.02064746geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh
After the village meeting, the villagers walk to show the kitchen garden set up by Jan Sahas at Bedaniya.
Jan Sahas is a social and community based organization that is committed to protection of
human rights and development of socially excluded communities through abolishing the all
kind of slavery, social exclusion, atrocities and all forms of discrimination based on
caste, class and gender.BamnalaChainpurgeolat21.73548154geolon76.01985730geotaggedINDIndiaMadhya Pradesh