A Glimpse of Hope… OIC’s Women Organization
July 10, 2021, 7:39 am

A Glimpse of Hope… OIC’s Women Organization

Dalia Ziada

Women’s rights in Muslim-majority countries have been improving greatly, over the past few years, thanks to the unprecedented interest of the political leaders, either individually or collectively, in empowering women. However, there is still a gap between the brave steps taken by decision-makers and the actual reality of women living in those countries. The suffering of women in the Islamic world is not limited to gender-based discrimination, like other women worldwide. Most of the sufferings of women in Islamic countries stems from political instability and lack of security. A good example on this is Arab women’s suffering under the unbearable civil wars and terrorist organizations wreaking havoc all over the Middle East.

Amidst this gloomy reality, a glimpse of hope emerged in Cairo, on July 8th. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held its eighth special ministerial meeting to launch the “Women Development Organization (WDO). The ministerial meeting was chaired by the Egyptian National Council for Women. The Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi took spoke at the opening session of the meeting and announced the official launching of WDO. El-Sisi stressed that Egypt will dedicate an entire independent building, in Cairo, for the headquarters of WDO. In addition, Egypt will create a think tank to be attached to the organization. President El-Sisi, also, confirmed that Egypt will pay the WDO annual contributions, on behalf of the 22 less-developed countries, who are members of the organization.

ODW’s importance stems from being the first specialized transnational organization to be founded by OIC for the specific purpose of empower women in Islamic countries. The organization’s mission to challenge religious taboos and social stereotypes that kept women suffering for decades, is not an easy task. Ironically, there are many cultural, religious and social diversity among the women living in OIC member countries. However, the only thing that connects them together is that they all suffer from discrimination because of extremists’ misinterpretations of religious texts to justify unfair social norms and traditions against women.

In the ministerial meeting, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Othaimeen, Secretary-General of OIC, commented on the abuse of religion in justifying discrimination against women. “This meeting is a clear message to our citizens in the Islamic world, and to the whole world, that pure, true, moderate Islam empowers and respects women. Women are honored in the Holy Qur’an and the authentic hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad;” said Al-Othaimeen. “Should we not rely too much on the rhetoric of extremists who have irresponsible and deviant interpretations of the rituals of our holy religion. They deny women their basic rights, while Islam made women equal to men in rights and duties.”

The fact that he comes from Saudi Arabia, where he is a citizen and OIC is based, adds glamour to the impressive speech of Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen. Not long ago, the status of women in Saudi Arabia has witnessed a huge leap, as part of the state’s 2030 comprehensive development project. Since he came in power, the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, courageously, took upon himself the mission to destroy the outdated and barren traditions that delayed the progress of the Kingdom. That included ending the severe discrimination against women in Saudi Arabia and encouraging them to participate in public life. Before Mohammed Bin Salman, Saudi women were deprived the basic right to drive a car or buy a home. Now, Saudi women are leading development side by side with men in various government and non-governmental sectors. Saudi women’s percentage in the labor market doubled from 17% to 31%, in the last two years.

We can imagine the difficulty of the mission assigned to the OIC’s Women Development Organization, especially under the many political and security challenges in member Islamic countries. Yet, the level of pollical support and popular attention given to the new organization tells that it may be the glimpse of hope that we badly need to see in

the midst of the painful and dark reality of women in the Muslim world.

Dalia Ziada

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.