World's largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty now, Global Citizen, has said that its 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign has culminated in over $2.4 billion in commitments to end extreme poverty.
The six-week campaign concluded with a nine-hour festival across two stages, beginning in Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, and ending in New York City's Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco.
The 2022 campaign saw two million actions taken by global citizens as part of Global Citizen's mission to End Extreme Poverty Now, more than doubling the record previously set by the international advocacy organisation.
The world body, in a statement released recently, said several governments and bodies made these commitments not only to eradicate extreme poverty but to aid to empower girls, defend the planet, promote health, protect civic space and mitigate the global food crisis.
On the Global Citizen Festival: Accra stage, the governments of Ghana and South Africa announced the African Prosperity Fund, a joint initiative by the governments of Ghana and South Africa, which aims to deploy $1 billion to fund projects for economic inclusion and financial participation across the continent. The fund will focus on projects in the African Continental Free Trade Area, including infrastructure development, financial access for the participation of women and youth, education, healthcare, technology, and sustainability, all for the benefit of Africa's 1.3 billion people.
Meanwhile, at Global Citizen Festival: NYC, U.S. members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle stood alongside world leaders, philanthropists, and trailblazers from the private sector to make announcements worthy of the 10-year history of the Global Citizen Festival. Over a video message, President Macron announced France will reallocate 30 percent of its Special Drawing Rights to the world's poorest countries, specifically in Africa, to fight extreme poverty, pandemics, inequalities, and climate change.
The days leading into the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival saw major commitments from world leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and President von der Leyen of the European Commission, who respectively committed CAD $1.209 billion and €715 million at the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. During the Festival, Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen thanked global citizens for acting.
The following commitments were pledged at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra, Ghana and New York City.
Investments committed for the future of women and girls included several governments including Belgium committed €2.6 million to the ILO's Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All for its second phase in Senegal and Burkina Faso, extending until 2025; Denmark committed $17 million to UNFPA Supplies and $30 million to UNFPA over the next year as part of their broader newly announced three-year partnership while The European Commission committed €45 million to UNFPA.
Also, Germany, as a champion for global education, committed €10 million to Education Cannot Wait's efforts to respond to the education needs in Ukraine while Luxembourg committed to renew its partnership with the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Program to End Female Genital Mutilation, with a 70 percent increase of its funding based on previous contributions over the next three years, underlining its support for girls and women around the world.
This is as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Girl Effect announced a $8 million partnership to fight against the gender barriers that limit uptake of HPV and other routine vaccines in Tanzania and Ethiopia.
The Global Menstrual Equity Accelerator was launched with the ambition to advance gender equality for girls and women through a partnership ranging from combating stigmas, increasing the availability of period products, raising public awareness and education around menstrual health and safe disposal, and beyond.
For the planet commitments made to defend the planet include: The Peace Corps committed to launch a new climate initiative to support over 2 million hours of volunteer service in around 50 countries, including up to 1000 volunteers who will work with host country partners to identify and implement actions that contribute to host country climate priorities and national plans.
Five major corporations signed the United Nations-led Race to Zero campaign to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including American Eagle Outfitters, Betterfly, Harith General Partners, Juan Valdez Café, and Global Citizen Festival: NYC campaign partner World Wide Technology.
For the global food crisis, pledges made to improve food and nutrition security in response to the global food crisis include: The Netherlands which committed €25 million towards food and nutrition security in 2023, topping up the €425 million budget announced earlier this year for the next five years.
Norway committed NOK 100 million towards the African Development Bank's Africa Emergency Food Production Facility. Slovenia committed €1.23 million to civil society organizations fighting against hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The private sector, Citi, announced its continued support to No Kid Hungry for the next three years, estimated to be equivalent to the provision of 60 million meals.
For global health, Canada highlighted their CAD $1.209 billion commitment made at the Global Fund replenishment. The European Commission highlighted their €715 million contribution to the Global Fund. Malta committed €30,000 to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Philanthropic foundations. And Rotary International committed $150 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative across the next three years.
To defeat poverty, additional pledges to act in the interests of the world's most marginalized populations include:The United Nations in Ghana committed $257 million in funding towards the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework by 2025. This convenes more than 24 United Nations agencies, funds, and programmes with the ambition of reaching all regions in Ghana, responding to the needs of the most vulnerable and seeking to leave no one behind. The United States committed $138 million to support human capital development in the areas of health, education, climate, and peace building and $32.5 million committed to deepening partnerships across West Africa in Ghana, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo. Just as Lithuania announced they would be committing €11 million in funding towards rebuilding infrastructure including schools, homes and a bridge in Ukraine.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Global Citizen Festival: Accra featured performances by Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, TEMS, and Uncle Waffles, and was hosted by award-winning actor, playwright and activist Danai Gurira. Presenters included Berla Mundi, Joselyn Dumas, Michaela Coel, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Sabrina Dhowre Elba.
Global Citizen Festival: NYC featured performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MÅNESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, and Rosalía and special guest performances by AngéliqueKidjoand Billy Porter, and was hosted by actor, producer, author, and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Presenters included Amber Ruffin, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Chris Redd, Connie Britton, Folake Olowofoyeku, Jay Shetty, Katie Couric, Katie Holmes, Misty Copeland, Rachel Brosnahan, Scott Evans, Sofia Carson, Tamron Hall, and Van Jones.
