On International Women’s Day, celebrated on the 8th of March every year, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha sent a message to confirm that the OIC joins the global community in celebrating the achievements, resilience, and strength of women around the world, according to the official website of the Organization.
“This is not just a day to acknowledge the progress women made, but also a call to action for a more inclusive and equitable future” the OIC Secretary-General stated.
This year’s international theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”, resonates deeply with the OIC’s commitment to fostering diversity, inclusion, and empowerment of women and girls in OIC Member States and beyond. On this occasion, the Secretary-General stressed the importance of securing prosperous and just economies to ensure women’s and girls’ rights across all aspects of life by investing and implementing gender-responsive financing to ensure a bright future for the new generations. In this connection, the Secretary-General recalled the importance of the Jeddah Document for Women’s Rights in Islam, adopted at the International Conference on Women in Islam, which was held on 6-8 November 2023, in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In light of the multiple crises facing the world today with the immense pressure on the global community, it is vital to achieve gender equality between men and women to build a better future for all. Therefore, His Excellency called on OIC Member States and OIC institutions to join in this crucial endeavor to achieve just and equality between men and women by establishing a better understanding of the importance of women’s rights, prioritizing critical elements in women’s empowerment and creating effective mechanisms of cooperation and exchanging best practices.
In this context, H.E. the Secretary-General reconfirmed that the advancement and empowerment of women are and will continue to be among the key priority areas for the OIC as identified under the OIC-2025 Programme of Action, as well as, the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) and all efforts and initiatives done by all Institutions within the OIC system.