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The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) 9th Ministerial Conference on Women concluded in Islamabad with Pakistan's Law and Human Rights Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stressing that "active engagement" of men and boys is needed to promote equality. The two-day conference, held under the theme "Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward," brought together delegates from 57 member states.

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Tarar, who chaired the conference on behalf of Pakistan, said on the final day that lasting progress "cannot be achieved by women alone" and that real change requires men and boys as "partners in promoting equality, respect and shared responsibility." He also affirmed that Pakistan continues to strengthen its legal policy and institutional framework to advance women's rights, opportunities, and leadership.

According to Dawn, Tarar described women's empowerment as "a national priority enshrined in our Constitution, inspired by our faith and essential to our future." He outlined government efforts, including the National Gender Policy Framework, Vision 2025, and the Prime Minister's Women Empowerment Package, which he said are expanding women's leadership, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and access to justice. He added that Pakistan regards its role as the conference chair as a "responsibility to listen carefully, build consensus and help transform our shared aspirations into practical action."

The conference's concluding Islamabad Declaration, as reported by the Jerusalem Post, urged member states to strengthen women's participation in politics, the economy, education, and society. The declaration expressed "deep concern" over restrictions on girls' education and women's employment in Afghanistan, describing them as inconsistent with Islamic values, and called for the removal of educational and professional barriers to ensure Afghan women's full participation in public life.

Key claims

  • Pakistan is hosting the OIC's 9th Ministerial Conference on Women, with representatives from 57 member states, as reported by Dawn.
  • Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stressed the need for men's active engagement to promote equality, according to Dawn.
  • Pakistan ranked 148th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, a statistic cited by Dawn.
  • The OIC conference called for measurable targets on girls' education and women's leadership, as reported by Dawn, referencing a proposal by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani.
  • The Islamabad Declaration urged member states to strengthen women's participation in politics, economy, education, and society, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
  • The situation of women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, including restrictions on girls' education and women's employment, was a major concern at the conference, as reported by both Dawn and the Jerusalem Post.
  • Pakistan continued to strengthen its legal policy and institutional framework to advance women's rights, according to Tarar's remarks reported by Dawn.

Perspectives

Pakistan Government

The government, through Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, emphasized its commitment to women's empowerment, describing it as a national priority. Tarar highlighted ongoing initiatives and the importance of men's engagement as partners in achieving equality.

OIC Member States

The OIC conference, through its Islamabad Declaration, urged member states to strengthen women's participation across various sectors and expressed concern over restrictions on Afghan women, calling for their removal.