The Prime Minister of Pakistan stated at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting that Islamic societies face significant challenges in ensuring equitable access to education for girls.
Speaking at the “Girls’ Education in Islamic Societies” summit in Islamabad on Saturday, January 11, he emphasized that denying girls access to education is equivalent to taking away their bright future.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that Pakistan also struggles to provide equitable access to education for girls. He highlighted that women make up more than half of Pakistan’s population, yet the literacy rate for women is only 49%.
He added that approximately 22.8 million children aged 5 to 16 are out of school in Pakistan, the majority of whom are girls. This underscores the urgent need to address gender disparities in education access.
The two-day OIC summit, titled “Girls’ Education in Islamic Societies,” was held in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. It brought together over 150 participants, including ministers, ambassadors, and representatives from international organizations like UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank.
This summit takes place amid severe restrictions imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan, where girls are currently barred from attending school beyond sixth grade.
The ban on education for girls and women in Afghanistan has been a subject of widespread global criticism over the past three years.
The summit underscored the shared responsibility of Islamic societies to ensure equitable education for girls. Participants highlighted the need for robust policies, international collaboration, and community engagement to address educational disparities.
The discussions emphasized that empowering girls through education is not only a moral imperative but also essential for societal progress. The summit called on governments and organizations to prioritize girls’ education as a pathway to a more equitable and prosperous future.
