Global Citizen Releases Health Accountability Report on Eve of Inaugural India Festival

MUMBAI, India, Nov. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, international advocacy organization Global Citizen released its  most recent accountability report, tracking progress for global health commitments made via the Global Citizen platform over the last five years. This is the second accountability report Global Citizen has released. It coincides with Global Citizen's first Global Festival in India.

Since 2011, Global Citizens have taken 1.42 million actions on global health – resulting in 43 commitments and announcements from governments and private companies, which when they were made were set to affect more than 600 million lives with investments of $7 billion to fund and support global health initiatives.

The annual Global Citizen Festival is both a moment of celebration, but also of accountability, and the  report identifies countries and organizations that have honored their commitments and are well on their way to meeting their global health goals. It also calls out those yet to deliver on their promises.

"It's vital that we hold people to account for the promises they have made to the world's poorest," said Simon Moss, a co-founder of Global Citizen. "We are hugely encouraged by the progress we've seen so far - the vast majority of leaders are delivering. But our work is far from over. Global Citizens must continue to hold our world leaders accountable in the fight to end extreme poverty."

To date, the fulfilled commitments have impacted more than 359 million lives, almost two-thirds of the way towards affecting 601.5 million lives by 2030.

34 commitments are on-track or complete. Norway, for example, has delivered on its 2014 promise to commit NOK 6.25 billion to Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, helping to immunize millions of children each year against deadly diseases. Canada is also on track to deliver its C$250 million commitment to end polio eradication, helping to bring cases to their lowest ever levels.

Two commitments, however, are significantly at risk. Australia lowered its AU$130 million contribution to polio eradication to AU$86 million, putting eradication at risk. And Malawi pledged to add 17,000 new community health workers (CHWs), but there has been little evidence of increase.

Global Citizen regularly checks on the progress of these initiatives, and today's public report is call to action for Global Citizens to hold these countries to account.

Contact:
Sunshine Sachs, [email protected], 212-691-2800

SOURCE Global Citizen