The International Steering Committee (ISC) for the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25 met on 26 April to discuss strategic planning for the Summit.
The Summit aims to galvanize momentum and mobilize leadership in addressing outstanding and newly emerging challenges related to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and develop a roadmap to end the unfinished business of the ICPD by 2030, particularly focusing on reaching the "Three Zeros." These three results – which are at the heart of the ICPD Programme of Action – are embedded within the broader UN Sustainable Development Goals, and underpin all efforts to advance the unfinished elements of the ICPD agenda:
- Zero unmet need for family planning information and services.
- Zero preventable maternal deaths; and
- Zero gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls.
The Nairobi Summit is not a UN Summit in the traditional sense. It will instead adopt a format similar to that of the World Humanitarian Summit or the World Oceans Conference. In that vein, and to help spur action, the ISC members expressed their desire for the Nairobi Summit to adopt a series of global commitments focused on achieving the goals of the ICPD. Commitments are entirely voluntary, and the international community will discuss how to bring these to fruition at the Summit.
ISC members expect the Summit will attract high-level political leaders and policy makers. They also hope that representatives from civil society organizations, foundations, academia, national parliaments, youth groups, and grassroot groups will take part to make the event as inclusive and dynamic as possible.
All views are those of the original author.
