ISLAMABAD, (TDI): Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hissein Brahim Taha, has arrived in Pakistan to participate in a global conference on advancing girls’ education in Muslim communities, the Pakistani education ministry announced.
The conference, titled “Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities,” will take place in Islamabad from January 11-12, hosted by Pakistan’s Ministry of Education.
The event is expected to gather approximately 150 participants, including education experts, religious scholars, diplomats, and politicians from 47 countries. Pakistani Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui welcomed the OIC Secretary-General upon his arrival in Islamabad.
Highlighting the significance of the event, the education ministry stated:
“This landmark gathering aims to bring global leaders, educators, and changemakers together to discuss innovative solutions and inspire progress for #GirlsEducation in Muslim communities. It’s a step toward creating opportunities, breaking barriers, and empowering future generations. Let’s ensure #EducationForAll and drive meaningful #GlobalConversations that transform lives!”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate the conference and deliver the keynote address at the opening session on Saturday. According to Pakistan’s foreign office, Sharif will reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to promoting gender equality and advancing education for girls.
The conference will culminate with the announcement of the “Islamabad Declaration” on Sunday, which will outline actionable steps to improve girls’ education across Islamic countries, Siddiqui stated.
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Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai will also attend the summit, as confirmed by her charity, the Malala Fund. Malala, who was targeted by the Taliban in 2012 for her education activism, expressed her excitement about joining the event.
“I am excited to join Muslim leaders from around the world for a critical conference on girls’ education,” she shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“On Sunday, I will speak about protecting rights for all girls to go to school and why leaders must hold the Taliban accountable for their crimes against Afghan women and girls.”
The conference comes against the backdrop of ongoing restrictions in Afghanistan, the only country globally where girls and women are barred from attending secondary schools and universities.
Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, over 1.4 million Afghan girls have been denied access to secondary education, as reported by UNICEF in August last year.
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Minister Siddiqui emphasized the importance of implementing Islamic principles, which uphold equal rights to education for men and women.
“Promoting girls’ education helps build better homes, a stronger society, and a resilient nation,” he stated, expressing hope that Afghanistan would send representatives to the conference.
“We have invited Afghanistan to participate, and we hope their delegation will attend as they are an important neighboring country,” Siddiqui added.
Acknowledging the significance of cultural traditions, the minister stressed that such practices must align with Islamic values.“ In Islam, there is no justification for restricting women’s education.
