It’s been 10 months since India officially launched Swachh Bharat, a national cleanliness drive, which, among other things, aims to put an end to the practice of open defecation in the country by 2019.
To meet its target, some 30 million people need to be convinced to build and use toilets each year. But the $31 billion program has been criticized for cutting funding for education and communication intended to do the convincing. It has instead focused on subsidy-fueled construction, targeting more than 110 million toilets in five years.
Nongovernmental organizations are warning the mission will fail unless people are motivated to change habits. And they’re working alongside the government to try to make it happen —innovating behavior change techniques, leveraging technology and partnering with companies.
About the author
Alys Francis
Alys Francis is a freelance journalist covering development and other news in South Asia for international media outlets. Based in India, she travels widely around the region and has covered major events, including national elections in India and Nepal. She is interested in how technology is aiding development and rapidly altering societies.
