Pakistan Prime Minister Highlights Urgent Need for Girls' Education at International Conference

Challenges and Opportunities' held in Islamabad, according to reports from Dawn.

Sharif acknowledged the numerous challenges faced by the Muslim community in providing equal educational opportunities for girls. He underscored the significance of educating young women, who are poised to enter the workforce in the coming years, asserting that they could lift themselves and their families out of poverty while also aiding the global economy.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister noted that women constitute more than half of Pakistan’s population, yet the female literacy rate stands at merely 49%. He highlighted that a substantial portion of the roughly 22.8 million children who are out of school in the age range of five to sixteen are girls. Sharif stated that depriving girls of education severely restricts their voices and choices, robbing them of their chances for a promising future.

The conference featured notable figures such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who expressed her eagerness to discuss the importance of women's educational rights and the accountability of the Taliban regarding their treatment of Afghan women and girls. Malala took to social media, stating her intention to advocate for girls' rights to education and to emphasize the need for leaders to hold the Taliban responsible for their actions.

As the summit nears its conclusion, the participants are expected to finalize the Islamabad Declaration, which reflects a collective commitment among Muslim nations to empower girls through education, as indicated by the Pakistani Foreign Office. Sharif noted that this declaration would be submitted to the UN and the UN Security Council to promote the shared educational goals of the Muslim community. Additionally, an International Partnership Agreement was signed, reaffirming their dedication to advancing girls' education on a global scale.