Islamabad hosts 9th OIC ministerial conference on women, set to adopt ‘Islamabad Declaration’

ISLAMABAD (MNTV) — Pakistan this week hosted the 9th Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), drawing delegates from across the Muslim world to the Jinnah Convention Centre for two days of high-level talks on advancing the socio-economic and political empowerment of women.

The conference, held on July 12–13 under the theme “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward,” was organised by the Ministry of Human Rights and marked the first time Pakistan has hosted the event.

Delegates from 57 member states gathered to chart a collective strategy for advancing women’s socio-economic and political empowerment and strengthening cooperation among OIC countries.

The conference brought together around 190 delegates, including ministers, senior government officials and representatives from the OIC’s 57 member states.

Packed opening day of technical talks

Pakistan formally opened proceedings on Sunday with technical-level meetings.

The conference began with a series of technical sessions during which participants approved the agenda and reviewed progress on the implementation of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women.

Delegates held extensive discussions on key challenges facing women in OIC member states, including social, economic, and political empowerment, access to education and healthcare, economic opportunities, financial inclusion, and greater participation in decision-making processes.

The sessions also highlighted the need to enhance women’s representation in technology and digital sectors.

At the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the conference would help transform commitments on women’s empowerment into measurable progress across OIC member states.

High-profile delegations

The gathering drew senior women’s affairs officials from across the Islamic world. Attendees included Saudi Arabia’s Family Affairs Council Secretary General Dr Maimoonah Khalil Alkhalil, Egypt’s National Council for Women President Amal Ammar, Bangladesh’s Women and Children Affairs Minister Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain, Iraq’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Dr Zainab Al-Mulla Al-Sultani, Libya’s Minister of State for Women’s Affairs Grebe Randa, Yemen’s Minister Dr Ahed Mohammed Jassous, Nigeria’s Women Affairs Minister Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Somalia’s Minister for Family and Human Rights Development Khadija Makhzoumi, and Mauritania’s Social Affairs Ministry Secretary General Hamoudi Cheikhna Ali.

On the sidelines, Federal Minister for Law and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar held separate meetings with ministers and senior officials from Iran, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. In a notable bilateral outcome, Pakistan and Türkiye signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation in the fields of family affairs, social services, and social protection.

Pakistan takes the chair

A central feature of the conference was the transfer of leadership to the host nation.

Tarar announced that Pakistan would formally assume the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women from Egypt for the next two years, with the handover formalised during Monday’s ministerial session.

Speaking ahead of the opening, Tarar described hosting the event as a point of national pride and said Pakistan would “utilise this high-level forum to highlight the government’s initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment and building an inclusive society.”

He noted that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja would also participate.

Day two: a call to close digital divide

The ministerial session on Monday, which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to inaugurate, shifted focus toward technology and the future.

Addressing the second day, Tarar urged OIC member states to ensure women and girls have equal access to emerging technologies, warning that artificial intelligence and digital innovation could either bridge inequality or deepen it. He argued that 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 “a barrier to equality.”

Framing empowerment in economic terms, Tarar said no nation could realise its full potential while half of its population lacked equal opportunities to learn, work, innovate and lead.

He pointed to Pakistan’s domestic reforms, noting that the government was implementing the National Gender Policy Framework 2025 and the Prime Minister’s Women Empowerment Package.

He also stressed that Pakistan viewed its chairmanship “not as a position of prestige but as a responsibility” to build consensus and translate shared aspirations into practical action.

Concluding his address, Tarar said Pakistan would use its chairmanship to strengthen dialogue and cooperation among OIC member states, urging delegates to translate commitments into tangible progress for nearly 940 million women across the Islamic world. “The next generation of Muslim women must not merely participate in the digital economy; they must help lead it,” he said.

The ‘Islamabad Declaration’

The conference is set to conclude with a landmark outcome document. Tarar said the conference would conclude with the adoption of the “Islamabad Declaration,” which would outline a common framework for advancing women’s empowerment and promoting inclusive and sustainable development across OIC member states.

The declaration is expected to be accompanied by a number of important resolutions aimed at promoting the development and empowerment of women.

The Islamabad meeting builds on earlier efforts, particularly the previous ministerial conference held in Cairo in 2021, and is expected to inject fresh momentum into collective efforts among OIC countries to expand opportunities for women.

Challenging backdrop at home

The conference unfolded against a difficult domestic reality.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025, Pakistan ranked last among 148 countries, achieving a gender parity score of 56.7%, marking its second consecutive annual decline after reaching a high of 57.7% in 2023. Meanwhile, the International Labour Organisation estimates that women employed in wage-paying jobs in Pakistan earn roughly 30% less per month than their male counterparts.

The event also carried a regional subtext. Although Afghanistan remains a member of the OIC, the Taliban had not publicly confirmed whether they would send a delegation.

The uncertainty followed the Taliban’s decision last year to decline an invitation to attend an international conference on girls’ education in Muslim societies, also held in Islamabad.

The bigger picture

For context, women represent a substantial share of the bloc’s population.

There were around 940 million females living in the OIC member states, constituting 49.3 percent of the OIC member countries’ total population, though officials acknowledged that their role in and contribution to the socio-economic development of their societies were often suboptimal.

As host and incoming chair, Pakistan is positioning the conference as a platform to reaffirm its commitment to gender-inclusive development.

The discussions are expected to feed into practical recommendations spanning women’s access to education, healthcare, employment, entrepreneurship, financial services, technology and digital opportunities.