Islamabad, January 9, 2025: Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai is set to visit Pakistan this weekend to attend the International Conference on Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities, scheduled for January 11-12 in Islamabad.
This will be Malala’s third visit to Pakistan since surviving a Taliban attack in 2012 for her advocacy of girls’ education. She will deliver a keynote address, emphasizing the importance of girls’ education in Muslim societies.
The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training is hosting the event, which aims to address challenges in advancing girls’ education, foster dialogue, and develop actionable solutions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will inaugurate the summit, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to gender equity in education.
The conference will feature over 150 international delegates, including ministers, ambassadors, academics, and representatives from UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank. Discussions will highlight innovative approaches and success stories in promoting education equity.
The summit will conclude with the signing of the Islamabad Declaration, committing Muslim communities to empower girls through inclusive and sustainable education reforms.
One agenda item is the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan. While not explicitly referenced, sources indicate the declaration will reject the ban. Pakistan has invited the Afghan Taliban to the conference, though their participation remains unconfirmed amid strained bilateral relations.
