Sector Specific Development Initiatives

Nagrik Foundation came into existence as a result of the vision of a philanthropic couple Shri Hari Shankar Dwivedi and Mrs. Vimla Devi. Established in 1998 in Hardoi, a rural district of Uttar Pradesh (India), the Nagrik Foundation initially focussed on sector specific development initiatives, particularly in areas of health education and child development. Its initial efforts created great impact many of which like rural health camps and awareness programmes are still continuing and growing.

Started with a humble beginning as a development-catalyst organization, Nagrik Foundation has now transformed into a network organization encompassing creating partnerships for sustainable development. The organisation’s core capabilities include contextual sustainable development need assessment, network and partnership development and coordinating the development efforts.

It is now focussing on creating national and international multi stakeholders partnerships and contributing to sustainable implementation goals through knowledge sharing and collective action. Through on advocacy, research, training and capacity building on different issues related to sustainable development.

The Foundation’s recent activities include :

• Empowering the Marginalized— A Perspective for Inclusive Development,a book by Deepak Dwivedi, founder President of Nagrik Foundation, gives details on sustainable development issues which was released by the Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari in New Delhi on July 26, 2017.

 The international edition of the book was subsequently launched the foundation in collaboration with the DOC Research Institute with additional chapters from the chairman and CEO of DOC at the 15th anniversary of the Rhodes Forum in Greece in October 2017.

• The foundation has been closely working and consulting with UN Organizations such as the UNICEF, UN Women, WHO and UNDP as well as reputed international institutions such as the World Bank, UNFPA, Oxford University, Toronto University, the Dialogue of Civilizations (DOC) Research Institute, the George Institute for Global Health, Australia India Institute and the Peking University, China. During the year 2017-2018, the foundation has developed a number of new global partnerships:
• Signed MoU with University of Toronto on Journalism and mental health project in India. The MoU is first of its kind which aims to objectively quantify the emotional health of journalists covering conflict issues.
• In view of Nagrik Foundation’s expertise and playing a pioneer role in SDGs in Indian context, the Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute (Berlin) has joined hands for working together on knowledge creation and capacity building related to sustainable development goals.
• Nagrik Foundation, in collaboration with World Health Organization, has been actively engaged in advocacy of Phuket mandate on Roads safety with law making bodies and other governance partners.
• Nagrik Foundation is working together with Australia– India Institute for promotion of need based identified sustainable development goals.
• Nagrik Foundation has collaborated with The George Institute for Global Health for Health and Nutrition Sector.
• To catalyse the conflict resolution and peace related sustainability issues, Nagrik Foundation has joined the hands as one of the Anchor Partner of Global Peace Foundation.
• The foundation has also signed MoU with an international think tank Making Management Studies Matter (MMSM International) for cooperation on transparent and responsible research and reporting related to sustainable development.