Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 19/12/2010
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran 19-21 December 2010 His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Her Excellency Madam Maryam Mojtahedzadeh, Advisor of the President of Iran and Head of Center for Women and Family Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Assalamo Alaikum wa rahmatollah At the outset, please allow me to take this opportunity to express on behalf of the OIC General Secretariat and on my own behalf, our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for hosting this important conference in the beautiful and historic city of Tehran. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for his continued support to the Organization of the Islamic Conference and for his high patronage of this Meeting. We look forward to his important inaugural statement that would set the tone for this Conference. Allow me also to convey my greetings and congratulations to Her Excellency Madam Maryam Mojtahedzadeh, advisor of the President of Iran and Head of Center for Women and Family for her initiative and contribution in the organization of this important conference. My thanks and appreciation also go to the Arab Republic of Egypt, chair of the Second session of the Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States for its efforts during the past two years of its chairmanship. Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, Bearing in mind the primary role of women within the Iranian family life, the level of importance and attention accorded by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the issue of advancement of Muslim women is most impressive and commendable. It is indeed a reflection of their commitment to the work towards the targets set by our leaders in the OIC Ten Year Programme of Action. Women comprise almost half of the Ummah’s population and that the cause for their advancement is beyond question. Muslim women and indeed women of the world are faced with a host of daunting challenges and issues to bring about their overall development. Our efforts must remain focused to remove discrimination against them and to address the impediments in the way of their advancement. For this, what is required is a determined and committed collective will to devote our energies and resources to bring women into the mainstream of the society and create conditions so that they can play their due role as partners in development. Foremost, we must take into consideration that women play the crucial role in the proper functioning of the very fundamental institution of the society: the family. As homemakers and mothers they are responsible in the rearing and bringing up children and youths in their formative years. In this, they have to impart in them the noble Islamic values of peace, moderation, compassion, and tolerance. In fact, women are entrusted with the responsibility in shaping the character of the future generations in addition to their participation in various fields, professions, as well as business and politics. It is therefore of paramount importance that women are empowered with education and conducive conditions are created for their access to this basic need. 1 Women have usually been victims of prejudice and misperceptions, traditions, customs, and the negative mindset dominant in our societies. Our revered and dear Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the pioneer in taking up the cause of women and took the initiative to give women their place of dignity in society. In fact the first person to embrace Islam was a woman, Khadija bint Khuwaylid (May Allah be Pleased with her) and we know of her unconditional support of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the cause of Islam. Islam upholds the rights and status of women in the society and strongly supports their participation and involvement in various fields of life. The Holy Quran and Sunnah promote the cause of women and recognize their dignity and respect and appreciate their important role in the society as partners of men. Women should have full access to education in order to understand and absorb the true teachings of Islam and develop its great culture and tradition in their personalities and characters besides, having knowledge of the modern day’s science, information and innovations. In our present times, we are witness to positive development of Muslim women overcoming impediments and challenges and making headway in society. Although they still face a tortuous uphill task, women are coming forward and playing their positive and constructive roles in various spheres and fields of life including decision making, corporate sector, poverty alleviation, education, intercultural dialogue, human rights and maintaining peace. It is only through their increased participation in political, social and other spheres that the society finds its way towards progress and development. The need for addressing the issues and concerns of Muslim women and their role on the development in Islamic Society was underscored by many Islamic Summits and Ministerial Conferences. The OIC Ten Year Programme of Action adopted by the Third Extraordinary Islamic Summit held in 2005, highlighted the importance of the role of Muslim women in society and stressed on the need to strengthen laws aimed at enhancing the advancement of women in Muslim societies in economic, cultural, social and political fields in accordance with Islamic values of justice and equality and for protection of women against all forms of violence and discrimination against them. Distinguished Participants, The OIC as part of its new strategy set by the Ten Year Plan of Action, has been focusing on some key areas of the development and empowerment of women, and has been relentless in its efforts to deliver its commitments at the national, regional and international levels with its partners in order to promote the status of women and protect their rights. While the First Ministerial Islamic Conference on Women’s Role in the Development of OIC Member States held in Istanbul in November 2006 was a turning point in the history of the OIC member states, the 2nd Ministerial Islamic Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC Member States held in Cairo, in November 2008 could be considered as a landmark event by the adoption of OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) also known as “Cairo Plan of Action for Women”. This plan constitutes a comprehensive strategy towards improving the situation of Women in political, economic, cultural and social spheres in the 57 Member States of the OIC. It accords the all important recognition to the rights of women in the Muslim World dispelling misperceptions about the status of Women in Islam. It lends a strategic vision and action oriented impetus to OIC’s programs and activities towards incorporating the gender perspective I believe that effective implementation of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) will contribute substantively to advance the status of women in the Muslim world and to bring them into the mainstream of society including decision making. I am sure that during this session of the conference you would be able to come up with a mechanism to implement this Plan of Action. I would urge this Meeting to give priority to the basic issues and problems faced by an overwhelming majority of the World’s Muslim women. These include poverty alleviation, access to education which is vital for rearing and bringing up children, proper nutrition and health care and to ensure their protection against violence, trafficking, exploitation and abuse. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen The establishment of the Department of Family Affairs in the OIC General Secretariat within the framework of implementation of the OIC Ten Year Program of Action and relevant resolutions of Councils of the OIC Foreign Ministers which will devote itself to the development of the family based on the moral values and principles embodied in Islam in close cooperation with affiliated OIC institutions as part of Joint Islamic Action, was another step towards realization of our programs for the advancement of women. Following the adoption of OPAAW, we worked diligently to establish a specialized Organization under the OIC for the development of women in the OIC Member States with its headquarters in Cairo. The Statute of the Organization was adopted by the 37th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in Dushanbe in May 2010. Since then, it has been open for signature and ratification by the Member States. I would sincerely urge all the Member States to expedite the ratification process of the Statute with a view to enabling its entry into force at an early date. Another very significant development is the prospective establishment of an OIC Independent Permanent Commission on Human Rights (IPCHR) - as an OIC organ under the new Charter – which also constitutes a welcome augury for mainstream human rights, including rights of women, in the programs and activities of the Organization. In this connection, I would like to reiterate that the OIC, as part of its new vision, has committed itself to work closely with all its Member States and our international and regional partners in securing the full rights of women to contribute to human development. I would like to take this opportunity to call on the international community to assist OIC Member States in their efforts to meet the development targets and benchmarks agreed upon at the major United Nations Summits and Conferences and their follow-up processes and to support them to ensure full and equal access of women to health care, capital, education, training and technology. Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, In conclusion, I would like to express my confidence that under your able stewardship, the Third Islamic Ministerial Meeting of Women will be another milestone in the cause of advancement of Muslim women. I sincerely believe that the decisions of this Meeting will contribute immensely to bring women out of backwardness and put them in the fast track of their advancement. I wish you every success in realizing our objectives of enhancing the advancement of women in Muslim societies, which is of fundamental importance to the OIC. Last but not the least, I wish to express our sincere gratitude and thanks on behalf of us all, to the Government and our brothers and sisters in the Islamic Republic of Iran for their warm and generous hospitality and the excellent arrangements made for hosting this Conference. I thank you for your attention.
