Islamabad: A two-day worldwide conference on “Girls’ Education: Challenges and Opportunities in Muslim Societies” will include participants from more than 23 nations, including ministers, educators, and school officials. Among the eminent attendees to emphasize the value of girls’ education is Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.
In his speech, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underlined that, free from any gender discrimination, education is a right for both men and women according to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He also highlighted the achievements of notable Muslim women, including Benazir Bhutto, the first Muslim woman to be Prime Minister; Malala Yousafzai, a symbol of bravery and resilience; Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan’s first female Chief Minister; and Hazrat Khadijah, a successful businesswoman who stood alongside her brother during Pakistan’s independence struggle.
Prime Minister Sharif further noted that, with a notable proportion being females, 22.8 million youngsters are out of education in Pakistan. Emphasizing that millions of young women would soon be joining the workforce, he asked local and international organizations as well as donors to help initiatives aiming at improving girls’ education.
Both Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, Chairman of the Muslim World League, and Dr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), underlined the vital need of education in the growth of the Muslim world.
Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the federal minister for education, said that many Muslim countries still deny their females their fundamental right to education. Lieutenant General Nigar Johar watched females rallying to demand their rights while also sharing her experiences seeing devastated schools. She underlined the need to give female education top priority in national budgets and plans as women participate in policy development and decision-making.
The “Islamabad Declaration” will be published at the end of the conference and sent to the United Nations as a plea for worldwide support and action in furthering girls’ education in Muslim nations.
