Islamabad - Pakistan is set to host an international conference titled “Girls’ Education in Muslim Societies: Challenges and Opportunities” on January 11-12. Organized under the initiative of the Saudi-based non-governmental organization, the Muslim World League (Rabita al-Alam al-Islami), the event will bring together representatives from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, international organizations, prominent religious leaders, scholars, and human rights activists.
The Muslim World League, headquartered in Mecca, stated on its website that the conference aims to reaffirm Islam’s core values as a religion of knowledge, civilization, and high ethical principles. It emphasized that Islam strongly supports laws and actions that enable girls to access education and condemned any practices or laws that hinder girls’ educational opportunities as being contrary to Islamic teachings.
The conference will focus on developing strategies to address challenges facing girls’ education and utilize available opportunities to enhance educational achievements in Muslim communities.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, chaired a preparatory committee meeting for the conference on January 1. Following the meeting, the Ministry of Information stated that the event would present a comprehensive agenda on promoting girls’ education.
Pakistani officials revealed to local media that approximately 30 ministers from OIC member states have confirmed their participation in the two-day conference.
Sources also highlighted that one of the conference's key objectives is to pressure Afghanistan’s interim Taliban government to reconsider its ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade. Afghanistan remains the only country among the 57 OIC members where such restrictions exist.
It is unclear whether the Taliban administration has been invited to the event. However, a Pakistani official suggested that their participation could provide a platform for the Islamic world to address their strict policies on education and present an alternative perspective.
The conference is expected to provide actionable solutions to improve girls' education and reaffirm the commitment of the Muslim world to educational equity and empowerment.
