Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) The OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) History and Updates Provided by: The General Directorate of Cultural, Social and Family Affairs OIC General Secretariat Presented at: the Workshop on the Role of Women in the Advancement of the OIC Member States – SESRIC (3-4 Oct, 2016- Ankara, Turkey)

Briefing on OIC most important activities on issues related to women empowerment The OIC has conducted a number of activities in the field of Women Empowerment and the Advancement of Women . Some of these activities are: Holding of Ministerial level Conferences on the Role of Women in the Advancement of the OIC Member States. Holding experts and specialists level meetings to discuss issues related to women empowerment. Organizing international and global meetings in cooperation with international and specialized organizations on issues related to women empowerment. Issuing several declarations; statements and resolutions aimed for the advancement of women at the OIC Member States. Initiating and structuring departments and mechanisms inside and outside the General Secretariat to take care of women's issues, and follow up the implementation of decisions and recommendations mandated on this area with all relevant stakeholders.

OIC Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC Member States 5 Ministerial Conferences on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC Member States took place in (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 & 2014) respectively in (Istanbul, Cairo, Tehran, Jakarta & Baku). These conferences addressed lots of important issues and challenges facing women in the OIC Member States. Few of which are: Strategies, benchmarks, program and common objectives for the advancement of women. National policies and strategies for increasing women employments. Elimination of poverty among families and particularly how it affects women. Women participation in local and international decision making and better future for women through their inclusion in education. Possible methods to eliminate all forms of violence against women and effective mechanisms to follow up the results of these efforts. And many others..

OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) The Second Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States was held in Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt from 24 – 26 February 2008, adopted the draft OIC Plan of Action for Advancement of Women (OPAAW). The plan contained OIC Member States’ vision on women and the objectives and measures as well as means of achieving those objectives. The conference also approved the establishment of the Women Development Organization with its headquarters in Cairo; a specialized organization concerned of monitoring all regional and international conferences on women and family issues and the OIC Member States’ participation in these conferences. Also, following up on the implementation of all adopted ministerial resolutions on women issues. The OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) 37th Session - held in Tajikistan in 2010 adopted the Statute of the Women Development Organization.

OPAAW .. The Fifth Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of OIC Member States was held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan from 20 – 21 October 2014 recommended for OPAAW to be reassessed and called for a meeting of experts to be held for that purpose at the OIC headquarters in the second half of 2015. This recommendation was then adopted by the CFM in its 42nd session in Kuwait (May 2015), by resolution 4/42-C which called for convening an Inter-Governmental Expert Group Meeting to Review the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women and assess the outcomes of previous women ministerial meetings. Intergovernmental Experts Group Meeting to review the OIC's Plan for the Advancement of Women in Member States (OPAAW) was held in (03-04 November 2015) at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. with the participation of around 19 Member states, besides the Subsidiary, Specialized and Affiliated OIC Organs and institutions (SESRIC, IDB, IRCICA, INAA)

OPAAW .. The 2 days meeting of the Intergovernmental Experts resulted with lots of comments, amendments on some items and recommendations for re setting the implementation mechanisms came out with a number of recommendations. Resulted with the recommendation to have the specialized OIC organs to review the recent recommendations and reset the implementation mechanisms. On Implementing this recommendation 2 days Workshop for Reviewing the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women (OPAAW) and its Implementation Mechanisms took place on 28-29 January 2016 at the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey. Participants at the workshop were experts from several OIC institutions : Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the Statistical, Economic, Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA); In addition to representatives from the OIC PM in UN-NY and Geneva and the delegation from the General Secretariat of the OIC.

OPAAW .. The IRCICA 2 days Workshop resulted with a clean revised and restructured document of OPAAW hat was developed during the expert group meeting with the inputs and comments from MS during the Intergovernmental expert group meeting -November 2015. The main objectives of the revised OPAAW document were re organized under seven thematic areas: decision making participation, education, health, economic empowerment, social protection, protection of women from violence, women in crisis situations; and to identified the sub-objectives as well as means of implementation (MoI) of the OPAAW . A matrix of implementation mechanisms was also developmed. At the end of the workshop participants proposed the following set of recommendations, for consideration by the OIC General Secretariat, most importantly to To invite the Member States to provide at their earliest convenience, indicators for the implementation of the OPAAW To include an agenda item on the OPAAW in all relevant OIC conferences and meetings To establish a forum of civil society organizations working in the field of women’s empowerment, for the implementation of the OPAAW To organize regional workshops involving the OIC subsidiary organs, specialized and affiliated institutions with the national focal points responsible for the implementation of the OPAAW To intensify its efforts to promote the ratification by Member States of the statute for the Organization for Women Development to be based in Cairo, Egypt, in order to fully execute the effective implementation of the OPAAW.

Today’s Workshop on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC MSs (Oct 2016) – SESRIC The 6th Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of the OIC Member States will be in Istanbul, Turkey (2-3 Nov 2016), under the theme ““The Status of Women in OIC Member States and the Global Transformations”. This workshop will provide an opportunity to : Exchange views, knowledge and expertise to come up with concrete recommendations on the updated document with inputs from OIC MSs received by the OIC GS on the updated OPAAW and its implementation matrix to be submitted for the 6th ministerial conference in Nov. Workshop results and recommendations will be amongst key ones for final recommendations at the ministerial conference.

OIC Aspiration and future efforts for women To have the updated OPAAW and Implementation Mechanisms approved by the 6th session of the Women Ministerial Conference in November then adopted by the following Council of Foreign Ministers t. Follow up on completing the signatures and ratifications required on the Statute of the Organization for Women Development in Cairo – in order for the organization to start operating. Develop a work schedule to follow up on women issues, in particular, and family affairs, in general at the OIC Subsidiary Organs and Specialized and Affiliated Institutions, as well as at the OIC Member States. Address and effectively work on obtaining the goals of the OIC Ten Years Programme of Action (2016-2025) adopted at the 13th Islamic Summit (15-16 April 2016 , Istanbul, Turkey); which among its most important priorities to address, improve and sustain women's rights and needs of youth and family in the Muslim world is raised; calling on Member States to strengthen laws aimed at the advancement of women in the Muslim community , especially in the economic, social, cultural, political sectors. Also, to protect women from all forms of violence and discrimination, in accordance with the values ​​of the Islamic-based justice and equality; and taking into account the objectives of the 2030 agenda of the sustainable development and the involvement of women in decision making and maintaining peace and security.

Thank you