ISLAMABAD: The 9th Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), hosted by Pakistan, commenced in Islamabad on Sunday with technical-level discussions aimed at preparing key recommendations for the ministerial session.
Held under the theme “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward,” the two-day conference is being organised by Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights at the Jinnah Convention Centre.
With a Large Ministerial Turnout… Islamabad Hosts the 9th Islamic Conference on Women’s Empowerment
Islamabad, 11 July 2026
The preparatory meetings of the 9th session of the Islamic Conference on Women kicked off in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, under the ambitious theme… pic.twitter.com/2ERlUrBdG0— OIC (@OIC_OCI) July 12, 2026
The conference has brought together around 190 delegates, including ministers, senior government officials, and representatives from the OIC’s 57 member states. Participants are discussing strategies to enhance women’s social, economic, and political participation, while strengthening cooperation among member countries.
The agenda focuses on improving women’s access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, entrepreneurship, financial services, technology, and digital platforms to support their greater participation in national development.
The two-day ninth OIC Ministerial Conference on Women began in Islamabad today @OIC_OCI @UN_Women #RadioPakistan #News https://t.co/sEhXYvLPXG pic.twitter.com/gi1fBR1ce0
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) July 12, 2026
During Sunday’s technical sessions, experts and senior officials worked on finalising proposals and recommendations that will be presented to ministers during the main session on Monday.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the event, Law and Human Rights Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar described hosting the conference as an honour for Pakistan, saying the country would use the high-level forum to highlight government initiatives aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and building a more inclusive society.
The meeting is expected to conclude with the adoption of the “Islamabad Declaration,” which will provide a shared framework for advancing women’s empowerment and supporting inclusive and sustainable development across OIC member states.
Tarar further announced that Pakistan would formally assume the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women from Egypt for the next two years.
The Islamabad conference builds on the outcomes of the previous OIC ministerial meeting held in Cairo in 2021 and aims to provide renewed momentum for cooperation among member countries in expanding opportunities for women and strengthening their role in social, economic and political development.
The conference comes as Pakistan continues to face significant challenges in achieving gender equality. The country ranked last among 148 nations in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025, recording a gender parity score of 56.7 per cent. The figure marked a second consecutive decline from Pakistan’s highest recorded score of 57.7 per cent achieved in 2023.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), women in wage employment in Pakistan earn around 30 per cent less in monthly wages than their male counterparts, highlighting persistent gaps in economic participation and workplace equality.
