The PIB Backgrounder documents the Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) journey of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), launched on 2 October 2014 as one of India's largest government-led sanitation movements. The mission operates through two components: SBM-Grameen focusing on rural sanitation, toilet access, usage, and waste management, and SBM-Urban focusing on urban sanitation, waste management, and clean public spaces.
SBM placed behavior change at the center of sanitation strategy, moving beyond infrastructure development toward sustained practices and social norms. The SBCC approach transformed communication from information dissemination into dialogue, participation, and collective action, combining interpersonal communication, community mobilization, mass media, social media, entertainment, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.
Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of cleanliness and self-service served as guiding principles, with the mission's logo representing his spectacles to create brand value and emotional connection. The term 'Swachhagrahis' was coined from Gandhi's Satyagraha tradition, positioning sanitation volunteers as participants in collective Swachhagraha.
At the grassroots level, Swachhagrahis served as motivators facilitating community nudging, household visits, and sanitation discussions. Nigrani Samitis conducted regular morning and evening monitoring, particularly at common open defecation spots, using tools like torches and whistles for field-level vigilance. The program leveraged multiple communication channels including home visits, face-to-face counseling, small-group sessions, Gram Sabhas, chaupals, community meetings, and campaigns such as Chalo Champaran, Swachh Shakti, and Swachhata Hi Seva.
Digital tools were extensively utilized, with Google Maps integration showing over 67,000 public toilet blocks across more than 3,300 cities. The Swachhata App provided a digital platform for grievance redressal, while Swachh Talks webinar series facilitated peer-learning and best practice sharing. Mass media reinforcement included television, radio, print, online media, community radio, and social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
Celebrity endorsements played a significant role, with Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar featuring in national campaigns in 2016. The 'Darwaza Band' campaign in 2017 featured Amitabh Bachchan and Anushka Sharma promoting toilet use. The film 'Toilet – Ek Prem Katha' featuring Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar brought sanitation into mainstream popular culture, with the actors later featuring in a campaign promoting twin-pit toilet technology.
Women experienced significant benefits from the program, with a study finding 93% no longer feared being hurt during defecation, 91% reported saving up to an hour and avoiding travel of up to a kilometer, and 93% no longer restricted food or water intake to manage sanitation needs. In Bihar, toilets came to be called 'Izzatghars' signifying their connection with women's dignity.
The program implemented reinforcement mechanisms through certification protocols including ODF, ODF+, ODF++, Water+, and Star Rating protocols for garbage-free cities. Recognition programs rewarded best-performing workers and local champions, while initiatives like 'Give Polythene Get Gold' in Jammu and Kashmir offered gold coins for collected plastic waste.
Monitoring was conducted through Swachh Survekshan, the world's largest urban sanitation survey, which evolved from involving one lakh citizens in 2016 to nearly five crore citizens in 2021. The communication approach progressively evolved from creating awareness and generating demand for household toilets to encouraging regular use, eliminating open defecation, and finally focusing on sustaining ODF status and waste management.