Islamabad (TDI): The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday adopted the Islamabad Declaration at the conclusion of its 9th Ministerial Conference on Women, reaffirming member states’ commitment to advancing the socio-economic, political and digital empowerment of women and girls across the Muslim world.
The declaration commits OIC member states to strengthening policies and institutional frameworks that promote women’s meaningful participation in political, economic and public life. It also calls for removing barriers to education and employment, expanding access to quality education, vocational training and leadership development, and improving women’s access to finance, entrepreneurship opportunities and social protection.
Recognizing the growing role of technology in development, the conference also launched the “Islamabad Initiative on Women’s Digital Inclusion,” a voluntary OIC platform aimed at promoting digital literacy, STEM education, artificial intelligence skills, cybersecurity awareness and digital entrepreneurship among women and girls.
The initiative encourages member states, OIC institutions and development partners to support training programs, scholarships, mentorship initiatives and the exchange of expertise to help bridge the digital gender gap, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
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The declaration further stressed the need to expand affordable digital infrastructure and connectivity while promoting women’s participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and other emerging fields.
It also urged member states to strengthen measures against all forms of violence targeting women and girls, including cyber harassment, online abuse and technology-enabled exploitation, while calling for greater cooperation to combat Islamophobia, xenophobia, discrimination and hate speech directed at Muslim women.
The conference reaffirmed solidarity with the women and girls of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), urging the international community to provide humanitarian, legal, educational and psychosocial assistance to help alleviate their suffering.
Concluding the declaration, participants emphasized that empowering women through education, skills development, leadership and economic participation is essential for sustainable development and the long-term prosperity of OIC member states. The declaration also thanked Pakistan for hosting the conference and acknowledged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s support for the event. The conference also adopted an omnibus resolution covering a broad range of issues related to women’s empowerment.
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Speaking at the closing session, OIC Assistant Secretary-General Dr Tarig Ali Bakheet described the adoption of the resolution as a significant milestone that reflects the collective vision of member states and provides a roadmap for strengthening cooperation on women’s development.
He said the success of the conference would ultimately depend on the effective implementation of its commitments and called on member states, OIC institutions and international partners to work together to translate the decisions into tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls.
Dr Bakheet also congratulated Pakistan on assuming the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women and reaffirmed the OIC Secretariat’s commitment to working closely with Islamabad and other member states to advance the conference’s agenda. He concluded by expressing hope for greater unity among OIC countries and continued efforts to promote the dignity, empowerment and well-being of women across the Muslim world.
