The 9th session of the OIC Conference of Ministers of Women’s Affairs has commenced in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. The event is organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in partnership with the Ministry of Human Rights of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, under the theme: “The Social, Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in OIC Member States: Challenges and the Way Forward”.
The conference is witnessing high-level participation by ministers for women’s and family affairs and heads of delegations from various member states, with the aim of coordinating policies and decisions supporting women’s empowerment, building on the achievements made since the launch of the first session in 2006, and following on from the decisions of the eighth session hosted by Cairo in 2021.
The procedural session opened with a speech by Her Excellency Amal Ammar, President of the National Council for Women of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Chair of the Eighth Session of the Conference. This was followed by a welcome address by His Excellency the Pakistani Minister for Human Rights, Mr Azam Nazir Tarar, in which he outlined his country’s vision and the priorities of its programme for the current session.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs, Ambassador Dr Tareg Ali Bakheet, H.E the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Mr Hissein Brahim Taha, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of Egypt and Pakistan in hosting the eighth and ninth sessions. His Excellency emphasised that women’s empowerment represents a fundamental pillar of joint Islamic action and a top priority on the Organisation’s agenda, stressing the importance of activating their role in shaping the economic and environmental policies of member states.
For his part, His Excellency the Chairman Senate of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Patron of the 9th Session, Mr Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, emphasised that women’s empowerment embodies the principles of the true Islamic faith, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to continuing to support this endeavour and to sharing its expertise in promoting women’s political participation with Member States.
This session is set to witness the election of new members to the Organisation’s Women’s Advisory Council and the adoption of a unified and comprehensive resolution integrating all future policies and programmes. The conference is due to conclude with the issuance of the ‘Islamabad Declaration on Women’s Empowerment’, which enshrines interdependence and integration as a fundamental basis for achieving sustainable development.