Parliamentarians from India and Japan have hit the ground running by acting soon after the recent Nairobi Summit on International Conference on Population Development (ICPD25).

• The three-day summit in the Kenyan capital – which was from Nov. 12 to 14 – concluded with partners from 180 countries making over 1,200 commitments towards fast-tracking the promise made in Cairo, Egypt, 25 years ago.
• In a renewed effort, governments, the private sector and development agencies raised $9 billion toward fulfilling the targeted three zeros; zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices by 2030.
• According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the total cost of delivering within the decade on the Sustainable Development Goal #5 on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls is $264 billion.
• While raising funds and making commitments is plausible, the real test is in the implementation of global policies at the country level.