Nepal, May 1 -- During a recent visit to a waste segregation center in the Kathmandu Valley, I had a profoundly moving conversation with a sanitation worker whose story left a lasting impression on me. I was immediately struck by the complete absence of even the most basic health and safety measures in her working environment.

Out of fear and stigma, she requested to remain anonymous. A mother to a newborn and a child in Grade 4, she lives with the constant anxiety that if her children-or others-discover her occupation, they might face discrimination. She worries that her children could be socially isolated or presumed to be at risk of communicable diseases simply because of her profession.

Her concerns extend beyond family. She explain...