Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said more than 22 million children in the country are not going to school and stressed the urgent need for Muslim countries to focus on girls’ education, Dawn reported citing state media reports. .
Speaking at the inauguration of the two-day ‘International Conference on Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities’ in Islamabad, Sharif highlighted the significant obstacles faced by the Muslim world in providing equal access to education to girls, reports Dawn. accepted.
Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted that millions of young girls are set to enter the workforce in the coming decade, highlighting their potential to not only lift themselves and their families out of poverty but also contribute to the global economy. Emphasized on.
He pointed out that while women represent more than half of Pakistan’s population, the female literacy rate is only 49 percent. He also noted that approximately 22.8 million children aged five to 16 are out of school, with a disproportionate number being girls.
“Depriving girls of education is tantamount to depriving them of their voice and choice as well as their right to a bright future,” Shehbaz was quoted as saying by Dawn.
Many international representatives from Muslim-majority countries are participating in the conference, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
Malala expressed excitement to join global leaders at the conference, saying on Twitter that she would address the importance of protecting girls’ rights to education and the Taliban for their treatment of Afghan women and girls. Will be held accountable.
“I’m excited to join Muslim leaders from around the world at an important conference on girls’ education…On Sunday, I will speak about protecting the rights of all girls to go to school and hold leaders to account for their crimes. “Why should the Taliban be held responsible for the crimes against Afghan women and girls,” she said on X.
The summit will conclude with the signing of the Islamabad Declaration, which underlines the shared commitment of Muslim countries to empower girls through education, Dawn reported citing a statement from the Pakistan Foreign Office on Wednesday.
Sharif further said that this declaration will be presented to the United Nations, including the UN Security Council, as a collective goal for the Ummah (Muslim community).
Delegates also signed an international partnership agreement pledging their commitment to advance girls’ education around the world.
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