Major General Dr. Ismail Kamal, Governor, participated Aswan In the activities of the opening session of the conference “Investing religious and media discourse and its impact on protecting and promoting women’s rights in the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,” which is being held at the Al-Azhar Conference Center over the first and second days of February 2026, in partnership between Al-Azhar, the National Council for Women, and the Women’s Development Organization (WDO).
The conference was held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, and in the presence of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, and His Eminence the Grand Imam, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.
A large number of ministers and governors, a number of heads of media bodies, and a number of senior officials from various Islamic cooperation countries concerned with women’s affairs, justice, social development, religious affairs, media and culture, representatives of parliaments and legislative bodies, and a number of officials and representatives of embassies and international and regional organizations, are participating in the conference.
Al-Azhar Al-Sharif
The activities of the opening session of the conference included the delivery of a number of speeches by senior officials, starting with a speech by Dr. Afnan Al-Shuaibi, Executive Director of the Women’s Development Organization, and a recorded speech by Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, then a speech by Counselor Amal Ammar, President of the National Council for Women, then a recorded speech by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Mark, then a speech by His Eminence the Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif.
It should be noted that the Islamic world has witnessed – in recent decades – profound social, economic, and cultural transformations that have directly affected women’s issues and the protection of their rights. Religious and media discourses have become a fundamental pillar in shaping societal issues regarding women’s status and roles. Therefore, integration between the two discourses is an essential step towards building a supportive environment for protecting women, empowering them, and obtaining their rights, as the impact of enlightened religious discourse is enhanced when it is delivered through conscious and responsible media channels.
