Conference On Girlsآ' Education In Muslim Communities Begins In Islamabad

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ISLAMABAD, Jan 11 (KUNA) -- A two-day international conference on "Girls' Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities' began here on Saturday -- attended by 150 delegates from 47 countries including OIC General Secretary Hissein Brahim Taha and Secretary General Muslim World League, Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa.
Opening the conference, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shebaz Sharif called for collective efforts to develop scalable and sustainable solutions for girls' education. He emphasized that this cause is worth fighting for, worth committing resources to and worth advocating for.
The premier further said that millions of young girls over the next decade will enter the job market, emphasizing they have the potential not just to lift themselves, their families and nations out of poverty but also to enrich the global economy.
He said, "We owe it to our mothers, sisters, and daughters to ensure that their rights are respected, their ambitions are fulfilled, and that no cultural inhibitions stand in the way of achieving their dreams."
The Prime Minister said that despite "our rich legacy, the Muslim world including Pakistan faces significant challenges in ensuring equitable access to education for girls." He noted that denying education to girls is tantamount to denying them their voice and the choice while depriving them of their right to a bright future.
Sharif further said that in Pakistan, women make up more than half of the total population, yet the female literacy rate stands at 49 percent. Alarmingly, he said around 22.8 million children in the age bracket of five to sixteen years are out of school with a disproportionate number being girls.
He pointed out that through "our flagship youth program, the government is committed to providing quality education, creating jobs and offering meaningful opportunities which include scholarships and vocational training in demand driven skills such as Artificial Intelligence, data analytics and cyber security as well as provision of laptops to high achievers."
The Prime Minister said "we have decided to place the Islamabad declaration to be signed by this conference before the UN including the UN Security Council as a collective aspiration of the Ummah (the Muslim nation).
The Prime Minister's speech was followed by the signing of the International Partnership Agreement which represents a collective commitment to furthering the cause of girls' education.
In an interview to KUNA on the occassion, Pakistanآ's first and only female Lieutenant General Nigar Johar said that this is a very important event in the history of the country and a very urgent need of the time.
These kinds of conferences promote the cause of girlsآ' education, and more funds should be allocated to the cause. The conference aims at addressing the challenges and opportunities in advancing girlsآ' education across Muslim communities worldwide; fostering dialogue; and finding actionable solutions to address the challenges. (end)
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