NHRC, India STs and other vulnerable groups and address the inhuman and degrading practice of Manual Scavenging. The following is the Commission’s engagement with the rights of SC, ST, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other minorities, and on the issue of Manual Scavenging in the year 2020-21. NHRC issued an Advisory on the Protection of Human Rights of the Persons Engaged in Manual Scavenging or Hazardous Cleaning 7.50 The Commission issued an Advisory titled, ‘Advisory on Protection of Human Rights of Persons Engaged in Manual Scavenging or Hazardous Cleaning’ on 24September 2021 to all concerned authorities of the Union/State Government(s)/UTs and advised them to implement the following recommendations made in the advisory. 7.51 The recommendations are: • Ensuring proper protective gear/safety equipment for sanitary workers. • Leveraging the use of suitable and worker-friendly technology and robotic machines. • Welfare schemes: responsibility and accountability of the hiring agency/employer. • Fixing the responsibility and accountability of the concerned authorities. • Rehabilitation: Providing one-time cash assistance and credit support as mandatory in accordance with "The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013". • Access to Justice: Any crime such as threat, inducement, criminal intimidation, bonded labour, or atrocity in respect of such work, FIR be registered and investigated in a time bound manner. • Strengthening infrastructure for providing sanitary services. • Awareness/Sensitisation. • Replicating the best practices. • Ensuring proper identification of persons engaged in manual scavenging. • Monitoring of Implementation of the PEMSR Act, 2013. NHRC organised a Webinar on ‘Issues and Challenges of Manual Scavenging and Hazardous Cleaning’ 7.52 The Commission organised a webinar focusing on the challenges faced due to manual scavenging and hazardous cleaning on 5July 2021. The three Technical Sessions of the webinar focused on: 1. Scope of converging on-going schemes with mechanised cleaning process, 2. Identification of constraints and replicating best practices at local level, and ANNUAL REPORT 87 2021-22