This article examines the progress of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’s first phase (2014–2019). In 2013, 53% of the Indian population defecated in the open. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, aligning with the sixth sustainable development goal (SDG) of clean water and sanitation, was launched to end the practice of open defecation in India by 2019, on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. This study has been conducted through a thorough analysis of government reports, corresponding ground realities and the report by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner’s Special Rapporteur to India. Although the government has made commendable efforts to fight open defecation, there are a number of areas where more work is needed.
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