How Women And Trans Collectives Are Transforming Odisha’s Urban Sanitation

Across India, sanitation systems are often discussed in terms of infrastructure treatment plants, waste facilities, and service delivery. Yet, in many cities of Odisha, the real transformation has been driven by people. Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the DAY-NULM /Mission Shakti initiative, along with emerging transgender collectives, are redefining how sanitation services are delivered and managed. Their leadership is not only improving the efficiency of urban sanitation systems but also creating pathways for economic empowerment, dignity, and social inclusion.

The current sanitation system in Odisha reaches much further than just providing a collection service for waste material. Women’s collectives have taken over operational control of many critical elements of the sanitation infrastructure, including Micro Composting Centres (MCCs), Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), Community/Public Toilets (CTs/PTs), and Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs).

These different facilities comprise the backbone of a municipality’s sanitation system and represent a significant contribution towards the objective of a Swachh Bharat Mission for each municipality in India.

Women Leading the Sanitation Value Chain

Through Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) and Mission Shakti, thousands of women organised into SHGs have entered sectors that were once dominated by informal male labour. In several cities, SHGs are now engaged in operating and maintaining sanitation and waste management facilities in partnership with urban local bodies.

In Micro Composting Centres, women’s groups are responsible for the management of wet waste segregation and compost. Their role involves receiving waste from individual homes, overseeing the composting process, ensuring quality control and maintaining records of the facility. The Micro Composting Centres reduce landfill waste while producing compost to sell to farmers and urban gardeners.

SHGs also play an important role in the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). They sort recyclable materials like plastic, paper, and metals, allowing these materials to be returned to the recycling value chain. This work has contributed to improving the cities’ waste segregation rates and creating stable income for SHG members.

The key to the success of this model is the combination of training, collective management, and institutional support. Women are trained in facility operations, maintaining records, operating safely, and managing finances, which often results in the facilities operating with a greater sense of discipline and accountability, improving municipal service delivery.

Managing Toilets with Dignity and Accountability

In Odisha, many cities have women-led self-help groups (SHG) managing the community & public toilet facilities. These toilets need ongoing maintenance, user engagement & revenue management. SHGs take care of cleaning the toilet and providing water, collecting user fee (where applicable!), and ensuring the toilet is clean.

Women managers provide a strong focus on the safety and usability of the toilets that are used by women.
Therefore, many toilet complexes previously poorly maintained are now more complete, cleaner, regularly monitored, and easier for individuals to access.

In addition to toilet maintenance, SHGs also act as local ambassadors for sanitation by working with communities to improve hygiene & sanitation practices and encouraging individuals to use toilets and practice proper waste segregation. Engaging in these community activities has been critical in ensuring the sustainability of the accomplishments made under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Women Operating Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants

Perhaps the most significant shift has been the involvement of women’s groups in managing Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs). Traditionally perceived as highly technical and male-dominated facilities, FSTPs in several Odisha towns are now being operated with strong participation from women’s collectives.

Women and transgenders trained in plant operations oversee processes such as sludge drying, monitoring treatment cycles, maintaining equipment, and ensuring compliance with safety protocols. Their involvement demonstrates that sanitation technology management is not limited by gender but rather enabled through capacity building and institutional trust.

These experiences challenge deep-rooted stereotypes about sanitation work and create a more professionalised and inclusive sanitation workforce.

Inclusion of Transgender Collectives

Odisha’s sanitation model stands out for involving transgender collectives. Under Mission Shakti’s wider goal of supporting livelihoods and promoting social inclusion, transgender groups have taken part in sanitation services. They manage public toilets, assist with waste management, and help maintain facilities. For transgender individuals, who often encounter major obstacles to formal jobs, these sanitation roles offer a respectable way to make a living.

These positions allow them to earn steady incomes, gain recognition in their communities, and combat deep-rooted social stigma. Their involvement delivers a strong message that sanitation systems can promote social equality and inclusion.

Economic Empowerment and Social Change

The economic impact of these initiatives is significant. For many women, sanitation services offer their first reliable source of income. Collective enterprises allow SHG members to share responsibilities, handle finances openly, and reinvest in their communities. Income from managing sanitation facilities supports household stability, children’s education, and better living conditions. More importantly, it changes women’s roles in families and communities from beneficiaries to service providers and leaders.

Over time, this has resulted in broader social change. Women who previously hesitated to take part in public decision-making are now interacting with municipal officials, negotiating contracts, and managing urban infrastructure.

A Model for Inclusive Urban Sanitation

Odisha’s experience demonstrates that sanitation is not only a technical challenge but also a social opportunity. By placing women and marginalised communities at the centre of service delivery, cities can build systems that are more resilient, accountable, and inclusive.

As India continues to strengthen urban sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Odisha’s model shows how gender-inclusive, community-led approaches can transform both cities and lives. Women and transgender collectives are not just managing sanitation facilities; they are redefining who leads the sanitation movement in India.

Authored by Meghna Malhotra and Xerxes Rao, Urban Management Centre, Ahmedabad (a member organisation of the NFSSM Alliance). | Views expressed by the author are their own.