● 25 commitments and announcements from policymakers set to affect more than
50 crore people with an investment of US$5.93 billion (INR 40,500 crore)
● CM Fadnavis makes commitments to the value of INR 17,142 crore to build homes,
provide special nutrition programmes and build toilets, set to affect 194 lakh
people in Maharashtra
● The Central Government committed to 300,000 villages, 200 districts and 6 states
and 2 Union Territories being Open Defecation Free by 19 November 2017,
affecting the lives of 120 million people
● The International Finance Corporation committed USD$2 billion towards banking
on women and promoting women entrepreneurship by end 2019, including a
US$100 million investment in India
● HP committed to US$3.6 million to provide 48 mobile classrooms, that will help 15
million people in rural areas of India get access to quality education and
technology over 6 years
● Mr Ratan Tata committed to an INR 300 crore investment from Tata Trusts over
the next two years for water and sanitation programmes
● Toilet Board Coalition committed to help 130 million people gain improved access
to sanitation and hygiene by 2020 with an investment of US$15 million
● HUL committed to reaching 1 in 7 Indians by 2020 with initiatives to improve
water, sanitation and hygiene
● The Government of Telangana committed to invest INR 9,000 crore in Mission
Bhageerath, which will affect the lives of 9.6 million people
● IDFC Bank committed to provide 200,000 micro finance loans for water and
sanitation, worth INR 200 crores, to reach 450,000 people by the end of 2019
● A full list of commitments and announcements can be seen at
www.globalcitizen.in/impact
● Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Global Citizens via video link:
https://we.tl/LZsAa728RI
MUMBAI, 21 November 2016 – On Saturday 19 November, the Global Citizen Festival India
took place for the first time at the MMRDA Grounds, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai. World and
business leaders, non-profit organizations, socially conscious artists, and thousands of Global
Citizens united to kick-start India’s progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals.
The Global Citizen Festival India is a celebration of what India is already doing, but it is also a
powerful force to mobilize Indian youth and facilitate mass behavioral change as well as a call to
action for our leaders to do more to achieve sustainable and more inclusive growth.
In just two months since the launch of the Global Citizen India movement, more than 5 lakh
young Global Citizens in India took more than 20 lakh actions calling on political, faith and
business leaders, along with celebrities, to be more accountable in their efforts to improve
education, gender equality and water, sanitation and hygiene in India.
Hugh Evans, Founder and CEO, Global Citizen, said: “Global Citizen Festival India showed the
power of youth taking action together. More than 500,000 young Global Citizens took more than 2
million actions. And tonight, we saw the results – dozens of commitments that will affect the lives of
500m people. Tonight marks a moment of great celebration, but it is only the beginning of the
journey. The growing movement of more than 8 million Global Citizens around the world will keep
campaigning to make sure leaders deliver on these promises, and commit to do even more."
Gowri Ishwaran, CEO, The Global Education and Leadership Foundation, said: “Today’s
Global Citizen Festival India brought together 70,000 young people who made their voices heard
by leaders from private industry, government, non-governmental, community and religious
organisations on the issues that matter: Sanitation, Education and Gender Equality. Their
incredible 20 lakh actions showed leaders that young people are serious in their commitment to
hold them to account to use their resources for social good. The commitments made in response
show the world that citizen-led change is possible. The commitments made here today are set to
impact 50 crore people in India and around the world – and this is just the start.”
In response, leaders at the Global Citizen Festival India made 25 announcements and
commitments which are set to affect 500 million people (50 crore) people, with a collective
value of US$5.93 billion (INR 40,500 crore).
And this is just the beginning. Global Citizens will continue to campaign to make sure that
leaders deliver on these promises, and that they commit to do even more on the 7 ongoing calls
to action that were launched from the stage of the event.
TOP CAMPAIGN VICTORIES AND COMMITMENTS
● GENDER EQUALITY: Global Citizens took 518,000 actions in support of investing in
girls and women to achieve gender equality. These efforts secured 4 commitments that
are set to affect the lives of more than for 2 million women, including the International
Finance Corporation, a private sector arm of the World Bank committing USD$2 billion
towards banking on women and promoting women entrepreneurship by end 2019. This
includes a US$100 million investment in India.
“Tonight, before all of you Global Citizens, the IFC commits to mobilize US$ 2 billion for
banking on women and promoting women entrepreneurship. And, this global commitment
will see at least $100 million invested right here in India.” – Roshika Singh, Advisor for
Financial Institutions Group – South Asia, International Finance Corporation
● QUALITY EDUCATION: Global Citizens took 265,000 actions, and the Global Citizen
team advocated privately to businesses to use their expertise and CSR spend, in support
of improving the quality of education for children. In response, six commitments were
secured, including HP committing to provide 48 mobile classrooms, investing US$3.6
million to result in 15 million people in rural areas of India getting access to quality
education and technology over 6 years.
“Today we are pleased to announce the deployment of 48 HP ‘World on Wheels’ digital
inclusion and learning labs, in response to the calls from Global Citizens to help people in
rural India gain access to technology and education. These mobile learning labs will bring
access to quality education, digital literacy, and common public services to isolated and
disadvantaged groups in rural areas. Thank you Global Citizens for your actions; together,
we will drive digital literacy and end poverty.” – Rajiv Srivastava, Managing Director
India, HP
● WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE: Global Citizens took 651,000 actions calling on
government, businesses, faith groups and NGOs to outline how they would deliver on
India’s commitment to clean water and sanitation for all, securing 11 commitments and
announcements that are set to affect the lives of 486 million people, including:
○ Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis made three commitments
that are set to affect 29 million lives following 100,000 actions by Global
Citizens:
■ Maharashtra will become an Open Defecation Free state by March 2018;
it will invest INR 5,000 crore to provide toilets for 36 lakh households
■ To improve the nutrition of 98,000 severely malnourished and 9 lakh
moderately malnourished children Maharashtra will invest INR 142
crore per year in special nutrition programmes
■ Maharashtra will build 10 lakh homes for the homeless by 2019 with an
investment of INR 12,000 crore
“I am delighted to commit to investments in Maharashtra that will make us: an
Open Defecation Free state by March 2018 by building toilets; a state that lifts
children out of extreme hunger through special nutrition programmes; and a state
which provides for the homeless through investments in building homes. Shuruaat
hoon main!” – Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra
○ Mr Ratan Tata committed to an INR 300 crore investment from Tata Trusts over
the next two years for water and sanitation programmes
○ Following 30,000 tweets by Global Citizens to Shri Narendra Singh Tomar,
Minister of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry, the Central Government
committed to 200 districts being Open Defecation Free by 19 November 2017,
affecting the lives of 120 million people.
“The Swachh Bharat Mission is arguably the biggest mass mobilization and social
change campaign in the history of mankind. As India moves towards becoming an
economic superpower, it is absolutely critical for us to rise above the practice of
Open Defecation, so that our children can be healthier and achieve their maximum
productivity. The Hon’ble Prime Minister gave the clarion call from the ramparts of
the Red Fort, and this is a war that will be won only when all of you join hands and
make this a Jan Aandolan. I hope you’re ready!” – Shri Parameswaran Iyer,
Secretary of The Drinking Water And Sanitation Ministry, Democratic
Alliance (NDA)
○ Toilet Board Coalition committed to help 130 million people gain improved
access to sanitation and hygiene by 2020. As part of this, the board’s corporate
members committed $15 million over three years to entrepreneurs to invest in
innovative solutions to end open defecation.
“Sanitation is the opportunity of the decade: we need sanitation entrepreneurs and
toilet innovators because toilets are the future. Through our members we will
reach over 130 million people in the next three years with innovative solutions to
end open defecation.” – Cheryl Hicks, Executive Director, Toilet Board
Coalition
○ Hindustan Unilever India CEO and Managing Director Sanjiv Mehta committed
to reaching 1 in 7 Indians by 2020 with initiatives to improve water, sanitation
and hygiene through the programmes of their brands including Lifebuoy, Domex
and Pureit. This is set to affect the lives of 198 million people.
“We understand the challenges of water, sanitation and hygiene that India faces
and since 2010 we have driven initiatives that have reached millions of people. But
we will not stop with that. With the youth of India leading the way we will ensure
that by 2020 our programmes reach one in seven Indians. I believe that we can do
this together to bring about the change we are talking about. ” – Sanjiv Mehta,
CEO and MD, Hindustan Unilever India
○ As part of Telangana’s flagship Mission Bhageerath, Minister K T Rama Rao
committed to taking potable water to 2 million more families by end 2017. The
government will commit to invest INR 9,000 crore as part of this effort which
will affect the lives of 9.6 million people.
○ In response to 30,000 actions by Global Citizens, IDFC Bank committed to
provide 200,000 micro finance loans for water and sanitation, worth INR 200
crores (US$29.4 million) to reach 450,000 people by the end of 2019.
“Open Defecation is one of the biggest hygiene issues facing India, but most of us
feel that it isn’t our problem. It is, and it impacts each one of us. That’s why IDFC
Bank decided to do something about it. We are committed to make sanitation
accessible and affordable through 1,00,000 water and sanitation loans – Global
Citizens we have heard you!” – Gaurav Rajput, CMO, IDFC Bank
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Global Citizens via video link and
congratulated everyone for their unparalleled energy and idealism and said he believed that a
Swachh Bharat could be built within one generation.
Sachin Tendulkar spoke to Global Citizens to remind them of the responsibility each of them
holds as champions of water, sanitation and hygiene issues: “I’m delighted to be here as a Global
Citizen. And you are all here as ambassadors to pass on my message. Tell people to remember two
simple things: wash their hands before they eat and after they use the toilet. This is one match that
I want to win at any cost!”
Amina J Mohammed, Nigerian Minister of Environment said that India is inspiring the world
in its leadership on sanitation through Clean India. She committed that Nigeria will follow
India’s example through a strategic partnership where both countries will stand in solidarity to
achieve inclusive development together.
And this is just the beginning. Global Citizens will continue to campaign to make sure that
leaders deliver on these promises, and that they commit to do even more on the 7 ongoing calls
to action that were launched from the stage of the event, and which can be taken at
www.globalcitizen.in.
A full list of commitments and announcements can be seen at www.globalcitizen.in/impact.
The Global Citizen Festival India featured the first-ever programmed performances by Coldplay,
Jay Z, and Demi Lovato in India. They were joined by celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan,
Shankar Ehsaan Loy and A R Rahman, who performed in support of the #ShuruaatHoonMain
message to the close to 70,000 Global Citizens in attendance. Other performances included: Alia
Bhatt; Katrina Kaif; Varun Dhawan; Ranveer Singh; Arijit Singh; Farhan Akhtar; Shraddha
Kapoor; Sonakshi Sinha; and Amruta Khanvilkar. Hosts included Arjun Kapoor, Ayushmann
Khurana, Parineeti Chopra, Ritesh Deshmukh, Malaika Arora Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan.
Following the Festival, Global Citizens have volunteered to clean up the grounds; volunteers
from Swachhalay will clean up any litter that has been left behind, and partner NGO Robin Hood
Army will collect and distribute semi-perishable raw food among underprivileged communities
in Mumbai.
The Global Citizen India movement is a 15-year commitment to catalyse India’s journey to
eradicate extreme poverty in line with the SDGs. Over the years to come, it will continue its
work to influence world leaders and decision makers to enact policy changes and commit
significant resources to help solve the world’s biggest challenges through a distinctive mix of
youth-led events, grassroots activism, media campaigning and online activation.
The Global Citizen Festival India was presented by Colors Viacom18 and Venky’s, and was
powered by UPL and NECC. The festival, a collaboration between The Global Education and
Leadership Foundation and Global Citizen, was hosted in Mumbai by the Government of
Maharashtra and was event-produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd. Other
partners include: the United Nations; the Times of India Group; Google; Hindustan Unilever; Ola;
Spykar; Make My Trip; Taj Group of Hotels; BookMyShow; Rishtey Cineplex; Voot; Radio Mirchi.
