The human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol Karman said nations will not be able to make an iota of progress of having  democratic states unless women play their roles,

urging to work with full force for a cohesive and healthy society where there is no place for gender discrimination, exclusion or marginalization.

In a speech delivered during the sixth session of the Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of Member States in Istanbul, Karman pointed out that men and women’s access to equal rights without discrimination requires the existence of democratic states and tolerant societies.  

"I would like to emphasize the need to establish principles of citizenship, the rule of law and justice in our countries as this is the only way that guarantees rights of men and women alike; there is no other way”, Karman said. 

In Karman’s view, women still have a long and hard way to go to deal with common issues and strategic challenges that threaten the present and the future of nations and peoples in the region. 

“The growing sectarian conflict wastes energies and employs the potentials of countries for demolition and mutual destruction rather than for cooperation, construction and development in the face of terrorism”, she continued.     

Mrs. Karman explained that different experiences have proved men and women have the same choice; both are with building a civil state where principles such as citizenship and the rule of law are upheld. 

"Helping women to get rid of legacy of injustice and marginalization is, in fact, in favour of men and community, and this is what should be taken into account while dealing with this issue.”

“The issue of rights, freedoms and development should be comprehensively discussed as it is not fair at all to have half the community with full rights while the other with nothing.”

Yemen’s human rights advocate noted that of the major challenges facing societies is dropping out of education by girls, emphasizing that it would be very difficult to make steady progress towards the future while half of the society is left behind.

Karman concluded by saying, "women should not be deprived of education under any circumstances", calling on the governments of Islamic countries to give special priority to education of women in rural and remote areas.

A conference hosted by Turkey brings together ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss women's role in the development of Muslim countries.

The sixth session of the Ministerial Conference on the Role of Women in the Development of Member States in Istanbul was planned to take place during the period of Nov. 1-3 and along with ministers and high-ranking officials from the members of 56 OIC.

Under the slogan "Status of Women in the OIC Member States in Light of Current Challenges, participants are expected to review the most important challenges facing Member States in the field of women empowerment and advancement, as well as the obstacles to the achievement of the OIC Plan of Action for the Advancement of Women.