Women’s OIC conference in Pakistan sees Syrian delegation after 14 years

The ninth OIC Ministerial Conference on Women concluded in Islamabad, urging member states to enhance women's participation in politics, economy, education, and society. The resulting Islamabad Declaration expressed deep concern over restrictions on girls' education and women's employment in Afghanistan, calling for their removal as inconsistent with Islamic values. A significant development was the participation of a Syrian delegation, led by Minister Hind Kabawat, marking Syria's return to the conference after 14 years of isolation. Kabawat stated, "Syria's presence presents a key opportunity for increased cooperation and the exchange of expertise."

• The conference emphasized that "the empowerment of women and girls is essential to the progress, resilience and prosperity of OIC societies."
• Pakistan's federal minister, Azam Nazeer Tarar, assumed chairmanship, calling women's empowerment "not only a social imperative but also an economic necessity."
• Despite an invitation, no official Taliban delegation attended; however, Afghan women in exile participated individually.
• Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the Islamic Emirate had restored women's rights as prescribed by Islamic Sharia, a claim disputed by many Muslim scholars and former Afghan officials.