Pakistan, Iran Call for Stronger Cooperation on Women’s Empowerment at OIC Conference
Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: Pakistan’s Minister for Law and Justice and Human Rights, Azam Nazeer Tarar, has called for enhanced bilateral cooperation with Iran, including greater collaboration in the field of women’s empowerment and the sharing of Iran’s experience in promoting women’s participation across various sectors.
Tarar made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, Zahra Behrouz Azar, held on the sidelines of the Ninth Ministerial Conference on Women Development of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad on Sunday.
The Pakistani minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Iran, stating that Islamabad had stood by Tehran during last year’s 12-day conflict and the more recent hostilities, while condemning attacks against the country.
He also acknowledged Iran’s contributions to advancing the OIC’s agenda on women’s issues and addressing common challenges facing Muslim societies. Tarar stressed the importance of greater cooperation among OIC member states to counter what he described as biased portrayals of women in Muslim societies by sections of the Western media.
Calling for closer collaboration between Pakistan and Iran, he urged joint efforts to amplify the voices of women living under oppression and occupation, particularly in Palestine, Gaza, Afghanistan, and Kashmir, and to draw greater international attention to their circumstances.
For her part, Vice President Zahra Behrouz Azar thanked the government and people of Pakistan for their support during the recent conflict involving Iran. She emphasized the need for Muslim countries to adopt a coordinated strategy to counter negative narratives about women in the Islamic world.
Behrouz Azar highlighted Iran’s progress in supporting women and expanding their participation in political, economic, educational, healthcare, and social spheres. She also expressed Tehran’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Pakistan and other OIC member states to advance shared goals related to women’s development and empowerment.
