The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) participated in the Non-Aligned Movement Conference on Advancing the Rights and Empowerment of Women, which was jointly organized by the Republic of Azerbaijan, the current chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as Uganda and Uzbekistan, the upcoming chairs of NAM, to discuss the empowerment and advancement of women’s rights and to improve their contribution to sustainable development, peace and security issues.

The Conference, which was held in Baku on 20-21 November, 2023, saw the participation of ministers and high-profile officials from more than sixty countries, in addition to representatives of a number of international organizations and bodies.

ICESCO was represented by Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Director of Human and Social Sciences Sector, and Dr. Dinara Guliyeva, expert in the Partnerships and International Cooperation Sector. In her presentation, Ms. Mbaye reviewed ICESCO’s key programs and initiatives geared toward promoting and protecting women’s rights and fostering girls’ schooling while providing a safe environment for them to develop their capacities and contribute to building prosperous communities.

In connection, ICESCO’s delegation held several meetings with officials in the Republic of Azerbaijan, including Mrs. Bahar Muradova, Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, who stressed her keenness to strengthen cooperation with ICESCO in the field of women’s rehabilitation and child protection and agreed to cooperate in the implementation of a number of programs in the fields of leadership training, peacebuilding, child protection and mental health in addition to enhancing the presence of women in sports.