Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Saturday that more than 22 million children are out of school in Pakistan and stressed the urgent need for Muslim countries to prioritize girls’ education, state media reported.
Inaugurating the two-day ‘International Conference on Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities’ in Islamabad, the prime minister said the Muslim world faces significant challenges in ensuring equitable access to girls’ education. .
Prime Minister Shehbaz said millions of girls will enter the labor market over the next decade, emphasizing that “they have the potential not only to lift themselves, their families and their nations out of poverty, but also to enrich the global economy.” ”.
He noted that in Pakistan women account for more than half of the total population, but the female literacy rate is only 49 percent. “It is alarming that around 22.8 million children between the ages of five and 16 are out of school, and a disproportionate number of them are girls.
“Denying girls an education is tantamount to denying them their voice and choices and, at the same time, depriving them of their right to a bright future,” Shehbaz said.
The conference will be attended by several international representatives from Muslim-majority countries, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
“I am excited to join Muslim leaders from around the world for a critical conference on girls’ education,” Malala said on X. “On Sunday I will speak about protecting the right of all girls to go to school and why “Leaders must hold the Taliban accountable for their crimes against Afghan women and girls.”
“The summit will conclude with a formal signing ceremony of the Islamabad Declaration, which outlines the shared commitment of Muslim nations to empower girls through education, paving the way for inclusive and sustainable education reforms and a brighter future. for generations to come,” a statement said. from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.
“We have decided to place [the] The Islamabad Declaration will be signed at this conference before the UN, including the UN Security Council, as a collective aspiration of the Ummah,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said.
Representatives also signed an International Partnership Agreement, expressing a collective commitment to advance the cause of girls’ education.
