Pakistan, Turkiye Sign MoU on Family Affairs and Social Protection

Pakistan and Turkiye signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in family affairs, social services and social protection during a meeting between Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and his Turkish counterpart Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş on Sunday.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, where the two ministers discussed women’s rights, the family system and social protection.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Human Rights, the two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation on women’s and children’s rights, as well as the protection of the family system in the digital space.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promote family welfare, improve social protection, exchange expertise and promote joint initiatives.

Pakistan and Turkey also agreed to further strengthen cooperation on women’s rights, social welfare and institutional cooperation.

Earlier, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar said that hosting the two-day 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women is a distinct honor for Pakistan, the state-run Radio Pakistan reported.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the Law Minister said Pakistan would use this high-level forum to highlight the government’s initiatives aimed at women empowerment and building an inclusive society.

Tarar said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and a large number of women will also attend the conference.

The conference entitled “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Countries: Challenges and Way Forward” can gather around 190 delegates from the 57 OIC member countries, including ministers, senior government officials and prominent women leaders.

The Law Minister announced that the “Islamabad Declaration” will be adopted at the end of the conference.

Tarar highlighted that it is a matter of great pride that Pakistan will hold the chairmanship of the conference for the next two years. He said that Pakistan is fully prepared to fulfill its obligations.

He said representatives of 57 OIC member countries are participating in the conference while various technical working groups are also part of the conference.

He said technical sessions of the conference are underway today while the key ministerial meeting will be held tomorrow. Tarar expressed the government’s resolve to further advance the agenda for the protection of women’s rights.

The foreign delegations were received at Islamabad International Airport by Minister of State for Law and Attorney General Aqeel Malik, Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Saba Sadiq and Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Farah Naz Akbar along with other senior government officials on Saturday.

Read: Pakistan welcomes delegates of 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women from 12-13 July

Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, was tasked by the government to chair the Women’s Ministerial Conference to ensure that the country worked closely with member countries of the OIC to advance efforts to empower women throughout the Muslim world.

He was also tasked with promoting dialogue and building consensus on the common cause of gender equality during the two-day conference.

The conference aims to empower women by promoting their social, economic, political and professional participation while promoting inclusive and sustainable development throughout the Muslim world.

The delegates are expected to consider measures to expand women’s access to economic opportunities, financial systems, entrepreneurship, technology and digital platforms, the statement continues.

The conference will build on the outcomes of previous OIC ministerial meetings on women, particularly the eighth session held in Cairo in 2021, which focused on women’s empowerment, protection frameworks and strengthening their socio-economic participation.

As the host, Pakistan remains committed to using the conference as a platform to reaffirm its commitment to consolidate cooperation among OIC member countries to reduce gender disparities and ensure inclusive development across all sectors.