Saudi Arabia Calls for Concrete Measures to Empower Women at OIC Conference
The head of the Saudi delegation at the Ninth Conference of Women Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Pakistan urged member countries to implement practical actions and specific programs to enable and promote broad participation of women within families and society.
Maimouna Al Khalil, who also serves as Secretary-General of the Saudi Family Affairs Council, emphasized the important role of women in economic and social development and in strengthening family foundations. She noted that various initiatives have been proposed to elevate the status of women in Islamic countries and expressed hope that these proposals would move beyond discussion to implementation.
According to the Saudi official, reports presented at the conference indicate that member states have made progress in empowering women; however, broader programs and more practical efforts are needed to achieve the set goals.
Al Khalil stressed that member governments must provide more opportunities for women’s participation across social and economic fields to reinforce their role in the growth and stability of Islamic societies.
These remarks come as Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development previously announced an increase in women’s participation in the country’s labor market. According to statistics published by the ministry, the female labor force participation rate in Saudi Arabia rose from about 17% in 2017 to nearly 35% in recent years.
In contrast, under the Taliban’s administration in Afghanistan, women face extensive structural restrictions. Since returning to power, the Taliban have limited education for girls beyond the sixth grade, restricted women’s employment in many institutions, and curtailed their free presence in several social sectors. These measures have drawn widespread domestic and international criticism and cast serious uncertainty over the future participation of half of Afghanistan’s population.
