'Technical-Level Meetings': 9th OIC Women Conference begins in Islamabad

• Delegates from 57 OIC member states gather to chart roadmap for women’s socio-economic and political advancement

• PM Shehbaz to inaugurate ministerial session as Pakistan assumes OIC Women Conference chairmanship for next two years

• Conference to adopt ‘Islamabad Declaration’ aimed at strengthening cooperation and advancing inclusive development across the Islamic world

 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday formally kicked off the 9th Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) with technical-level meetings in Islamabad, bringing together delegates from across the Muslim world to chart a collective strategy for advancing women’s socio-economic and political empowerment and strengthening cooperation among the OIC member states.

پاکستان کی میزبانی میں وزارتِ انسانی حقوق کے زیرِ اہتمام منعقدہ او آئی سی خواتین کی 9ویں وزارتی کانفرنس کے پہلے روز تکنیکی اجلاس منعقد ہوئے جبکہ او آئی سی رکن ممالک کے وزراء، اعلیٰ حکام اور بین الاقوامی اداروں کے نمائندوں کے درمیان اہم دوطرفہ ملاقاتوں کا سلسلہ بھی جاری رہا۔… pic.twitter.com/8nCwBOxqI6

— Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MoIB_Official) July 12, 2026

Hosted by Pakistan, the two-day conference is being organised by the Ministry of Human Rights at the Jinnah Convention Centre under the theme, “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward.”

According to state media, the conference has brought together around 190 delegates, including ministers, senior government officials and representatives from the OIC’s 57 member states, to deliberate on measures aimed at enhancing women’s social, economic and political participation while promoting closer cooperation among member countries.

The conference is focusing on expanding women’s access to education, healthcare, employment, entrepreneurship, financial services, technology and digital opportunities, with participants expected to formulate practical recommendations for promoting inclusive and sustainable development across the Islamic world.

On Sunday, technical experts and senior officials held preparatory meetings to finalise recommendations for consideration by ministers, who are scheduled to convene for the ministerial session on Monday.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to inaugurate the ministerial session on Monday.

Federal Minister for Law and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar will chair the conference on behalf of Pakistan.

Ahead of the opening technical session, the minister addressed a press conference in Islamabad, describing Pakistan’s hosting of the conference as a matter of pride and honour.

According to state-run Radio Pakistan, he said Pakistan would "utilise this high-level forum to highlight the government's initiatives aimed at women's empowerment and building an inclusive society."

Tarar said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja would also participate in the conference.

He added that 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 minister further announced that Pakistan would formally assume the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women from Egypt for the next two years, reflecting the country's growing role in promoting women's rights and inclusive development within the Muslim world.

The Islamabad conference builds on the outcomes of 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 and strengthen their role in social, economic and political development, according to the Radio Pakistan report.

The conference comes at a time when Pakistan continues to face significant gender-related challenges. The country ranked 148th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025, recording 56.7 per cent gender parity—its highest score since 2006 but still the lowest ranking globally.

The figure marked a second consecutive decline from Pakistan's best score of 57.7 per cent, achieved in 2023.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), women in wage employment in Pakistan earn approximately 30 per cent lower monthly wages than their male counterparts, underscoring the persistent need for greater economic inclusion and equal opportunities for women.