India Inc commits $3.4b for SDGs at Global Citizen Festival

Corporate leaders today committed a whopping USD 3.4 billion to help achieve the sustainable development goals which can positively impact the lives of 500 million people across the country with a special focus on gender equality, education and water and sanitation.
These financial offers were made at the concluding day of the first-ever Global Citizen Festival here today.
The Global Citizens India chapter said this came in response to over 20 lakh initiatives and campaigning efforts by them, and the key focus will be ending extreme poverty.
The body said that of the 25 commitments worth USD 3.37 billion, or Rs 22,940 crore, that will cover over 50 crore people, USD 2 billion will come from the International Finance Corporation Banking on Women Group for gender equality.

Under this, International Finance Corporation Banking on Women Group will work towards banking on women and promoting women entrepreneurship by the end of 2019. Out of this, USD 100 million will come immediately.
IDFC Bank committed Rs 200 crore worth of micro finance loans to water and sanitation for 2,00,000 people by the end of 2019 while the Toilet Board Coalition has committed USD 15 million over the next six years to help 130 million people gain improved access to sanitation and hygiene.

HP committed to provide 48 mobile classrooms, investing USD 3.6 million to result in 15 million people in rural areas getting access to quality education and technology in the years to come.

The Global Citizen India movement was launched just two months ago involving over 5 lakh youth calling on political, religious and business leaders to be more accountable in their efforts to improve education, gender equality and water, sanitation and hygiene in the country.
On the successful completion of the first edition in the country, Global Citizen Chief Executive Hugh Evans said, "The festival showed the power of youth taking action together."
Across the world, the Global Citizens has over 8 million activists or supporters.