Justice Minister calls on OIC states to ensure women lead digital future, warning AI must not worsen inequalities
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar addressing the second day of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women in Islamabad. SCREENSHOT
Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday urged Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states to ensure women and girls have equal access to emerging technologies, warning that artificial intelligence and digital innovation could either reduce inequalities or worsen them.
Addressing the second day of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women in Islamabad, Tarar said every woman and girl must have an equal opportunity to learn, innovate and lead so that the digital future becomes “a bridge to inclusion” rather than an “impediment to equality”.
“Artificial intelligence and digital innovation are transforming our societies at an unprecedented pace,” he said. “If governed wisely, these technologies can expand access to employment, healthcare, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion. If ignored, they risk creating new forms of inequality, discrimination and exclusion.”
Tarar said women across the Muslim world were transforming economies, advancing scientific progress, running businesses, holding public office and contributing to peace and humanitarian efforts.
Despite these achievements, he said, millions of women and girls continue to face barriers that limit their opportunities and prevent them from fully contributing to national development.
“Our responsibility is not just to recognize these realities; it is to change them,” he said, describing the theme of the conference on socio-economic and political empowerment of women in OIC Member States as timely and forward-looking.
Terming women’s empowerment as an economic necessity as well as a social imperative, Tarar said no nation could achieve its full potential until half of its population had equal opportunities to learn, work, innovate and lead.
He said Muslim women have always been scholars, educators, entrepreneurs, lawyers and community leaders, and continue to innovate in the fields of science, technology, academia, business and public service.
“Our responsibility is not to define their potential, but to remove the barriers that prevent its realization,” he said.
The minister further said that the principles guiding these efforts were deeply rooted in Islam, which recognized the dignity, rights and legal identity of women more than 14 centuries ago.
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Highlighting the role of the OIC, Tarar said the organization’s Action Plan for the Advancement of Women and the Women’s Development Organization had established a solid framework for cooperation among member states.
Sharing best practices and strengthening institutional partnerships, he said, would help accelerate progress while respecting different legal systems, cultures and national priorities.
Tarar also said Pakistan viewed its presidency of the conference “not as a position of prestige but as a responsibility” to build consensus and translate shared aspirations into practical actions.
Turning to Pakistan’s domestic agenda, the minister said women’s empowerment was a national priority anchored in the Constitution and supported by legal, policy and institutional reforms under the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He said the government was implementing the National Gender Policy Framework 2025 and the Prime Minister’s Women’s Empowerment Agenda to increase women’s leadership, promote financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, bridge the digital divide, strengthen access to justice and create safer and more inclusive workplaces.
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“Today, Pakistani women serve with distinction as parliamentarians, judges, civil servants, diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics, scientists and members of our armed forces,” he said. “Their growing leadership in public and private institutions reflects our belief that when women are empowered to lead and succeed, families flourish, societies become more resilient, and nations prosper. »
Tarar further said that sustainable progress required the active participation of men and boys as partners in promoting equality, respect and shared responsibilities, adding that building an inclusive society was a collective effort requiring the commitment of every institution and every citizen.
He added that women’s empowerment goes beyond legal protections to ensure equal access to education, innovation, finance, decision-making and economic participation.
He also highlighted the plight of women living in the context of conflict, occupation and humanitarian crisis, paying tribute to the women and girls of Palestine, particularly in Gaza, for their resilience. He also spoke about the situation of women in Afghanistan and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, saying empowerment was not just about opportunity but also about protection, dignity, justice and hope.
Concluding his speech, Tarar said Pakistan would use its presidency of the conference to strengthen dialogue and cooperation among OIC member states, urging delegates to translate their commitments into tangible progress for nearly 940 million women across the Islamic world. “The next generation of Muslim women must not just participate in the digital economy; they must help lead it,” he said.
