ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hosting the 9th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Conference on Women in Islamabad today, Sunday, with delegates from 57 member states attending and several agreements expected to be signed during the summit.
The July 12-13 conference is being held at the Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad. Pakistan is hosting ministers responsible for women and family affairs, senior government officials, representatives of OIC institutions, international organizations and development partners for the conference.
The conference is being held under the theme: ‘Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward.’ Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told reporters during a news conference that Egypt will pass over the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women to Pakistan for the next two years at the event.
“OIC, after the United Nations, is the largest multilateral forum in the world,” Tarar said. It is a great honor for Pakistan to host this conference for the next two years and chair the OIC [Ministerial Conference] on Women. Pakistan is ready for this.”
The Pakistani law minister said participants of the summit will review the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women at the event and at the end of the conference, an “Islamabad Declaration” will be issued.”
Tarar said technical sessions will be held on Sunday while the main conference will begin on Monday, in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
A separate statement from the human rights ministry said Tarar met representatives and senior officials from OIC countries.
“Memoranda of understanding (MoUs) are also expected to be signed during the bilateral meetings,” the human rights ministry said, adding that member states will discuss ways to promote the social, economic, and political empowerment of women at the event.
Tarar met Women Development Organization (WDO) Executive Director Counsellor Sarah Al-Shoura to discuss women’s rights and ways to strengthen cooperation among OIC member states, the ministry said.
The law minister pointed out that Pakistan was implementing priority initiatives for women, who were playing leadership roles in politics, parliament and other key sectors.
“Pakistan and the Women Development Organization reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation on women’s rights, capacity building, the exchange of expertise, and joint initiatives under the framework of the OIC,” the ministry added.
