Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai will visit Pakistan this weekend to participate in an international conference on girls’ education in Muslim communities.
Malala, who became famous for advocating girls’ education, will be one of the keynote speakers at the two-day event, which will take place in Islamabad on January 11-12.
This marks her third visit to Pakistan since she was flown to the United Kingdom (UK) for life-saving treatment in 2012 after being shot by the Taliban. Her last visit was in October 2022, when she returned to her hometown for the first time since the attack.
At the conference, Malala will speak about the importance of girls’ education in Muslim communities, a cause she has championed since surviving the assassination attempt at age 15.
The event, organized by Pakistan’s Ministry of Federal Education, is titled “Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities.” It will bring together over 150 international dignitaries, including ministers, ambassadors, and experts from around the world.
The goal of the summit is to discuss the challenges and opportunities in improving girls’ education in Muslim-majority countries and to find solutions for the barriers that still exist.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate the conference and deliver the opening keynote, highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to promoting gender equity and girls’ education.
The event will bring together over 150 international dignitaries, including ministers, ambassadors, scholars and academia from 44 Muslim and friendly countries, representatives from international organizations including UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank.
Speakers and panelists will share success stories and innovative solutions to improve education, and it will conclude with the signing of the Islamabad Declaration.
This document will outline the commitment of Muslim countries to empower girls through education and support long-term educational reforms.
One key issue expected to be discussed is the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan by the Taliban.
While the situation in Afghanistan will likely be addressed, sources say the conference will not directly name the Taliban but will reject their ban on girls’ education.
Pakistan invited the Taliban to the conference, but it is unclear whether they will attend. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been tense recently, particularly over issues related to terrorism.
Source: The Express Tribune
