Ministers and senior officials from member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will gather in Islamabad on Sunday for the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, where they are expected to discuss new strategies for empowering women and expanding their participation in political, economic, and social life.

The two-day meeting will bring together nearly 190 delegates from the OIC’s 57 member states, along with OIC officials, observers, and a number of prominent women leaders.

According to the organizers, the conference will provide an opportunity to review progress made by member countries on women’s rights, exchange experiences, and adopt new frameworks aimed at strengthening women’s role in society. This year’s agenda focuses on increasing women’s participation in political decision-making, expanding economic opportunities, improving women’s access to technology, and narrowing the digital gender gap.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights stated that the conference seeks to strengthen cooperation among Islamic countries and create greater opportunities for women’s participation in social and economic development.

However, it remains unclear whether the Taliban administration will send a representative to the meeting. Although Afghanistan remains a member of the OIC, no announcement has been made regarding the participation of an Afghan delegation.

Images released by Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights ahead of the conference showed Afghanistan’s tricolor national flag displayed alongside the flags of other member states. Nevertheless, neither Pakistani officials nor the Taliban have clarified who, if anyone, will represent Afghanistan.

This comes after the Taliban declined an invitation last year to participate in the International Conference on Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities, which was also held in Islamabad.

At the same time, the situation of Afghan women and girls has become one of the most significant issues drawing the attention of women’s rights advocates. Since the Taliban returned to power, girls have been barred from education beyond the sixth grade and from attending universities, while sweeping restrictions have also been imposed on women’s employment and participation in public life.

A resident of Kabul has urged Islamic countries to address the plight of Afghan women during the conference, saying:

“Millions of Afghan girls have been deprived of education, and countless women have lost their fundamental rights. We hope the voices of Afghan women will be heard and that their situation will be discussed during this meeting.”

Human rights organizations and the United Nations have repeatedly condemned the Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls. Some experts have argued that these policies may amount to gender persecution and gender apartheid.

In previous meetings, the OIC has also called on the Taliban to lift restrictions on women’s education and employment and to ensure women’s meaningful participation in society.