Islamabad (TDI): Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday urged member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to ensure women and girls have equal access to emerging technologies, warning that artificial intelligence and digital innovation could either reduce inequality or widen existing gaps.
Addressing the second day of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women in Islamabad, Tarar said the digital future should become “a bridge to inclusion” rather than “a barrier 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.”
He stressed that every woman and girl must have an equal opportunity to learn, innovate and lead in an increasingly digital world. Tarar said women across the Muslim world were making significant contributions in science, technology, business, public service, humanitarian work and peacebuilding, but noted that millions still faced barriers preventing them from reaching their full potential.
“Our responsibility is not simply to acknowledge these realities; it is to change them,” he said, describing the conference’s focus on the socio-economic and political empowerment of women as both timely and necessary.
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The minister said empowering women was not only a social obligation but also an economic necessity, arguing that no country could achieve sustainable development while half of its population lacked equal opportunities. He noted that Muslim women had historically served as scholars, educators, entrepreneurs, jurists and community leaders, and continued to excel across a wide range of professions.
“Our responsibility is not to define their potential; it is to remove the barriers that prevent it from being realised,” he added. Tarar said the principles of women’s dignity and rights were deeply rooted in Islamic teachings, which recognised women’s legal identity and social status more than 14 centuries ago.
Highlighting the role of the OIC, he said initiatives such as the Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women and the Women’s Development Organization had created an effective framework for cooperation among member states.
He said greater collaboration, exchange of best practices and stronger institutional partnerships would help accelerate progress while respecting the different legal systems, cultures and priorities of member countries.
Tarar said Pakistan viewed its chairmanship of the conference as a responsibility rather than a privilege, pledging to work towards building consensus and translating commitments into practical outcomes. Referring to Pakistan’s domestic efforts, the minister said women’s empowerment remained a key national priority under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government.
He highlighted ongoing implementation of the National Gender Policy Framework 2025 and the Prime Minister’s Women Empowerment Package, aimed at expanding women’s leadership, promoting financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, narrowing the digital divide, improving access to justice and creating safer, more inclusive workplaces.
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“Today, women in Pakistan are serving with distinction as parliamentarians, judges, civil servants, diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics, scientists and members of our armed forces,” Tarar said, adding that greater female participation strengthens families, societies and national development.
He also stressed that sustainable progress required the active participation of men and boys in promoting equality, respect and shared responsibility. The minister said women’s empowerment extended beyond legal protections to ensuring equal access to education, technology, innovation, finance, decision-making and economic opportunities.
He also drew attention to the plight of women living in conflict zones, paying tribute to the resilience of women and girls in Palestine, particularly Gaza, while also referring to the situations in Afghanistan and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Concluding his address, Tarar urged OIC member states to transform commitments into tangible action 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.
