Mahatama Gandhi, 110 years ago, lead a movement to end manual scavenging and untouchability in India. However, even today over a million Dalits are treated as untouchables among their communities and are forced to be manual scavengers (have to lift human excreta) for fear of social retaliation from the upper castes.

Government schemes exist but so do government jobs that promote Manual Scavenging. In this TEDx Talk Ashif Shaikh shares the plight of manual scavenging women and children in India and how it is possible to transform thousands of lives within a decade through leadership that shows them that they are enslaved by this inhuman and unreasonable social stigma.

Ashif Shaikh is the convener of Rashtirya Gairma Abhiyan (The National Campaign for Dignity and Eradication of Manual Scavenging) and Founder of Jan Sahas (a human rights organisation). Ashif has started a movement to end the inhuman practice of Manual Scavenging in 104 districts in India. During the past decade his organisation has liberated 16,000 women and given them access to a healthy, dignified livelihood and social recognition.

Ashif has further worked towards elimination of untouchability from Indian society and has ended untouchability practice from 4200 public places in India.

Ashif received the M.A. Thoms National Human Right Award 2012, Sadbhavana Award 2005, Social Brewery Award 2013 by Sony TV and Jio Dil Se (Social Development) Award 2014.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx