ISLAMABAD: In a historic development, Pakistan has been entrusted with the leadership of a newly established international platform to advance women’s rights within the Muslim world. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ombudsman Association (OICOA) has announced the formation of its first-ever Sub-Committee on Women’s Rights, appointing Pakistan’s Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH), Fauzia Viqar, as the inaugural Chair. The initiative marks a significant milestone in global gender equality efforts, as the world remains over a century away from achieving full parity. The idea for the committee was originally proposed by Ms. Viqar during her address at the 4th OICOA General Assembly held in Iran, where she highlighted the urgency of coordinated international action to address women’s protection, empowerment, and equality.
Her proposal received strong and immediate support from OICOA President Mr. Mehmet Akarca, Chief Ombudsman of Türkiye, who endorsed the initiative in his concluding remarks and directed the OICOA Secretariat to begin its formal establishment.
