Global study of 1.3 million people points to downward trends in generosity, but India ranks 82 on the index, with people donating money, time and helping strangers

New Delhi| October, 15, 2019| Philanthropy in India has risen over the past 10 years. Out of 128 countries surveyed by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in the 10th Anniversary edition of the World Giving Index [1] India ranks 82. The average figures for India over the past decade show that 34 percent people helped a stranger, 24 percent donated money and 19 percent volunteered or donating time.

Observers in the sector noted that much of the informal giving that takes place in India is not necessarily captured in the survey questions. The report examined aggregate data for each country across 10 years (2009-2018), drawing on surveys in 128 countries for 1.3 million people, in order to capture longer term trends. Globally there is a downward trend in generosity.

CAF India chief executive Meenakshi Batra said: “India has a strong culture of giving, but it largely remains unorganised and informal. Assisting others or helping strangers is viewed as a family or a community/ religious obligation. But giving needs to be more strategic. Money needs to go into the right places, for the right cause. With strategic giving, philanthropy will go a long way in creating a strong and healthy economy.”

Elaborating further, Ms Batra added that the increasing income gaps have led to many developmental challenges in India. “This gap can only be bridged through stronger, consistent and strategic giving. Government of India should come up with better policies and provisions that strengthens and sustain an enabling environment for more and more individuals to donate for social causes. To this end, we believe that reviewing revocation of the erstwhile 35 AC [2] provision for a possible reinforcement could well be one such assured enabler.”

She further added: “In the digital era, it is important that we get creative with technology to make strategic giving more credible and convenient for individuals. In the time to come, we will be launching technology platforms for payroll giving and online giving. Such steps can ensure a better ranking for India in the years to come”

Global Findings

The report identified the 10 most generous countries over the decade of research, along with the 10 least generous. It also lists the biggest risers over the course of the study and those countries that have dropped the most during that time.

Seven of the 10 most generous countries are among the world’s wealthiest but the top 10 list also includes less affluent nations such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. New Zealand (3rd place) is the only country that appears in the top 10 of all three measures of the survey, namely helping a stranger in the past month, volunteering in the past month and giving money to a good cause in the past month.

The report identifies a recent downward trend in donations in key countries with long histories of philanthropy and household charitable giving. In countries such as, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands, levels of individual giving are now lower than they were in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

This year’s examination of a decade of giving is being released in the lead up to #GivingTuesday – December 3 – the global day of giving that follows Black Friday and Cyber Monday and encourages people to give their time, money or voice to a good cause.

Notes to the Editor:

[1] The 10th Anniversary edition of the World Giving Index:

Other key findings:

• Worldwide, more than 2.5 billion people helped a stranger over the past decade, with African countries accounting for 7 of the top 10 places where people are most likely to do so.
• Half of the countries that have risen the most in the World Giving Index are from Asia, with Indonesia leading the way
• People from Myanmar are the most likely to have donated money to charity. (Practising Buddhists account for 90% of the population, 99% of them followers of Therevada branch of the religion which mandates giving).
• Globally, nearly 20% of all adults, volunteer with Sri Lanka reporting the highest rate of volunteering in the world.
• More details in the report.

[2] Section 35 AC of the Income Tax Act was revoked in 2016. The section provided for a 100 percent tax exemption on donations made to compliant NGOS

Methodology

The CAF World Giving Index 10th edition report is primarily based upon data from Gallup’s World Poll, which is an ongoing research project carried out in more than 140 countries.

It represents around 95% of the world’s population (around 5.2 billion people) and this year’s CAF report captures the cumulative responses of more than 1.3 million people. The survey asks questions on many different aspects of life today including giving behaviour. The countries surveyed and questions asked in each region varies from year to year and is determined by Gallup. More detail on Gallup’s methodology can be viewed online.

About CAF India

The Charities Aid Foundation India (CAF India) is a part of CAF Global Alliance, with presence in nine countries covering six continents across the globe. We exist to make giving go further, so together we can transform more lives and communities around the world. For over 20 years, CAF India has promoted the culture of giving in India, managed and implemented CSR development projects for corporates, helped individuals give to a cause of their choice with trust, and helped partner NGO’s deliver better through grant making and capacity building programmes.

We are CAF and we make giving count.

Visit our website www.cafindia.org for more information