Islamabad on Sunday became the centre of discussions on women’s empowerment as delegates from across the Muslim world gathered for the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women.
The two-day conference aims to advance cooperation on women’s socio-economic development, gender inclusion, and policy initiatives across OIC member states.
The conference began with a series of technical sessions during which participants approved the agenda and reviewed progress on the implementation of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women.
Delegates held extensive discussions on key challenges facing women in OIC member states, including social, economic, and political empowerment, access to education and healthcare, economic opportunities, financial inclusion, and greater participation in decision-making processes.
The sessions also highlighted the need to enhance women’s representation in technology and digital sectors and strengthen policies aimed at promoting gender equality and sustainable development.
The chair of the 8th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women briefed participants on progress achieved under the OIC framework since the previous meeting, while various institutions presented reports on women’s development and empowerment initiatives across member states.
On the sidelines of the conference, Federal Minister for Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar held separate meetings with ministers and senior officials from Iran, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen, as well as representatives of the Women Development Organization and the OIC Labour Centre.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and Türkiye signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the fields of family affairs, social services, and social protection.
Visiting delegations expressed confidence in Pakistan as it prepares to assume the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women for the next two years. They also reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with Pakistan to promote women’s empowerment, family welfare, social protection, and human rights.
The ministerial session of the conference will be held in Islamabad on Monday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the session, the conference’s chairmanship will formally be transferred from Egypt to Pakistan.
The conference is expected to conclude with the adoption of the Islamabad Declaration and several important resolutions aimed at promoting the development and empowerment of women across OIC member states.
