Delegations from the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have started reaching Islamabad to participate in the two-day 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, starting from July 12.
The conference, being hosted by the Government of Pakistan under the auspices of the Ministry of Human Rights, is being held under the theme “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward”.
At the Islamabad International Airport, the participating delegations were warmly received by Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik, Parliamentary Secretary on Human Rights Saba Sadiq, and Parliamentary Secretary on Law and Justice Farah Naz Akbar, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Human Rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government representatives.
The OIC Ministerial Conference on Women will bring together ministers responsible for women and family affairs, senior government officials, representatives of OIC institutions, international organizations and development partners to deliberate on advancing the socio-economic and political empowerment of women across OIC member countries.
During the conference, Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar will assume the chair of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women on behalf of Pakistan.
Pakistan, as the chair, will lead the conference proceedings and work closely with OIC member states to foster dialogue, build consensus and advance collective efforts towards the empowerment of women across the Muslim world.
Pakistan is hosting the 9th Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) here, to be held from July 12-13, bringing together around 190 delegates from 57 OIC member states, including ministers, senior government officials and prominent women leaders.
The two-day conference aims to strengthen cooperation among OIC member states for the empowerment of women by promoting their social, economic, political and professional participation while advancing inclusive and sustainable development across the Muslim world.
According to official details, delegates will deliberate on measures to expand women’s access to economic opportunities, financial systems, entrepreneurship, technology and digital platforms, besides addressing the digital gender gap and enhancing financial inclusion.
The conference will also discuss strategies to improve women’s participation in decision-making processes and review progress made on commitments adopted at previous OIC ministerial conferences. Participants are expected to exchange experiences and best practices while exploring new avenues for promoting women’s rights and socio-economic development within member states.
The meeting will further focus on expanding women’s access to quality education and healthcare and promoting policies aimed at achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development across the Muslim world.
The conference builds on the outcomes of previous OIC ministerial meetings on women, particularly the eighth session held in Cairo in 2021, which focused on women’s empowerment, protection frameworks and enhancing their socio-economic participation.
Pakistan, as the host country, is expected to use the conference as a platform to reaffirm its commitment to strengthening cooperation among OIC member states for promoting gender-inclusive development and creating greater opportunities for women across diverse sectors.
