Daily Times

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, arrives in New York next week for a hectic, 4-day visit during which he will preside over a conference on ‘Women in Islam’ to be held on the sidelines of the 67th Session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Hosted by Pakistan in its capacity as the chair of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), the one-day conference will take place in the Economic and Social Council’s chamber at UN headquarters on March 8, a day after the foreign minister arrives.

On March 7, FM Bilawal is also expected to participate in a high-level UN Security Council debate on ‘Women, Peace and Security’, sponsored by Mozambique in its capacity as the Council’s President for March.

Meanwhile, the stated objective of the conference, convened by Pakistan, is to bridge the perception-reality gap on the rights of women in Islam and celebrate the experiences and successes of iconic Muslim women. It is aimed at establishing an annual policy dialogue to address challenges and explore opportunities to advance the role of women role in OIC countries.

Titled “Women in Islam: Understanding the Rights and Identity of Women in the Islamic World”, FM Bilawal will open the high-level segment of the conference with an address. He will be followed by the UN General Assembly President, Csaba Korosi; OIC Secretary General, Hissein Braham Taha; Executive Director of UN-Women, Sima Bahous; Chairperson of 67th CSW, South African Ambassador Mathu Joyini; dignitaries and representatives of OIC Member States.

Also participating in the conference will be non-OIC states and representatives of UN Agencies.

The outcome document will be a chair’s summary of the deliberations.

Later, in pursuit of the General Assembly landmark resolution 76/254 designating 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, the General Assembly president and the foreign minister will be co-convening a special high-level event to commemorate the day on March 10.

The 193-member Assembly’s resolution followed the OIC Foreign Ministers’ resolution of 2020 designating 15 March as an international day to combat Islamophobia.

During his visit, FM Bilawal will also hold meetings with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the General Assembly president.

He will also brief the UN and International Press on the outcome of these events.