Don Bosco Degree College Golaghat

"Manual scavenging" refers to a highly marginalized occupation that involves the manual cleaning of human waste, which is a hazardous and degrading practice. Women in manual scavenging communities face multiple layers of discrimination and violation of their basic human rights. They are subjected to social exclusion, marginalization, and derogatory stereotypes. It creates significant challenges for women in exercising their reproductive health rights, it includes limited access to reproductive healthcare services, lack of awareness about reproductive health issues, stigma, discrimination, and cultural constraints that restrict women's ability to make informed choices about their reproductive well-being. These challenges can impact women's overall health, well-being, and agency in decision making related to their reproductive lives. Factors such as lack of awareness, financial constraints, cultural norms, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure contribute to limited access to reproductive healthcare for women belonging to marginalized communities. This study aims to examine the specific challenges faced by women in these communities regarding the access to reproductive healthcare and shed light on the imperative of recognizing and promoting reproductive health as a human right for these women. For this study, the researcher employed a sample of 10 case studies with women in manual scavenging communities to explore their experiences and perspectives regarding reproductive healthcare. Through the case study method, the researcher will be able to identify recurring patterns, barriers, and potential solutions. The findings of this study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by women in manual scavenging communities when accessing reproductive healthcare. This study aims to draw interventions such as targeting awareness campaigns and, proposes strategies for promoting and protecting women's reproductive health.

Keywords: Manual Scavenging, Women, Health and Safety, Human rights Marginalization, Discrimination, Reproductive Healthcare.