ISLAMABAD: Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have called on Afghanistan to restore women’s rights and ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in public life.
The call was made in a resolution adopted at the Ninth Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, held in Islamabad.
The two-day meeting, attended by representatives of the OIC’s 57 member states, concluded with a 32-point resolution expressing concern over continuing restrictions on girls’ education and women’s employment in Afghanistan.
The resolution said such restrictions were inconsistent with Islamic values, which uphold the dignity, rights and advancement of women and girls.
Participants urged the removal of barriers preventing Afghan women and girls from accessing education, professional opportunities and public life.
The resolution stated that Afghanistan should ensure women’s participation in society in accordance with Islamic values.
Women’s rights activist Mumtaz Yousafzai said restrictions on women’s education had serious consequences for Afghan society, especially in producing qualified teachers, doctors and educated mothers.
Political analyst Gul Mohammad Din Mohammadi said OIC member states should engage directly with Taliban officials if they believed policies in Afghanistan were violating women’s rights or Islamic principles.
The OIC meeting ended with a renewed emphasis on supporting women and expanding opportunities for them across member states.
