Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen has call on the member states and the international community to protect women as he made a statement on the occasion of International Women's Day.

He called on the OIC member states and the international community to intensify efforts to protect women against marginalization and exclusion and enable them to participate in the decision-making process as a vital element in achieving the envisaged sustainable development.

The OIC Secretary-General stressed the significance of women's issues and empowerment, which are among the OIC's top priorities based on its conviction that strengthening the role of women in the comprehensive development process calls for taking concrete measures to ensure their active participation at various levels.

Al-Othaimeen indicated that women everywhere have proven during this pandemic that they are worthy of assuming leadership and decision-making roles, as women stood on the front lines alongside men in combating COVID-19 in the fields of medical care, community and civic organizations, nursing homes, education sector, and others. "They have demonstrated their practical skills and ability in making sound decisions and measures to support national and international efforts to combat and recover from the virus."

He also emphasized that the OIC had taken various measures to empower women, advance their status, prohibit discrimination against them, and face the member states' relevant challenges.

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