Pakistan welcomes delegates of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women

The government was all set to host the Ninth Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on July 12-13 by welcoming the delegations arriving at the Islamabad airport on Saturday.

The conference titled “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries: Challenges and Ways Forward” is expected to bring together around 190 delegates from the 57 OIC Member States, including ministers, senior officials and eminent women leaders.

The foreign delegations were received at the Islamabad International Airport by Minister of State for Law and Justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik, Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Saba Sadiq and Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Farah Naz Akbar, among other senior government officials.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar also celebrated the arrival of the delegates through a social media post.

“Warm welcome to all delegates arriving at the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women in Islamabad. We wish you productive discussions and a memorable stay in Islamabad,” he wrote on X.

Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, has been tasked by the government to chair the Ministerial Conference on Women to ensure that the country works closely with OIC Member States to advance efforts towards women’s empowerment across the Muslim world.

He was also tasked with fostering dialogue and building consensus for the unified cause of gender equality during the two-day conference.

The conference aims to empower women by promoting their social, economic, political and professional participation while advancing inclusive and sustainable development in the Muslim world.

Delegates are expected to deliberate on measures to expand women’s access to economic opportunities, financial systems, entrepreneurship, technology, as well as digital platforms, the statement continued.

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The conference will build 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 strengthening their socio-economic participation.

As host, Pakistan remains committed to using the conference as a platform to reaffirm its commitment to consolidate cooperation among OIC Member States to reduce gender gaps and ensure inclusive development in all sectors.