The World Conference on the Role of Women in Charity Work was organized by International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) under the generous auspieces of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait, on 15-17 December 2014 in Kuwait.

The opening of the Conference was attended by HH Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah -the Crown Prince, HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak -the Prime Minister, Mr. Ya'qopub Al-Sane'a -the Minister of Justice and Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Abdullah Ma'atouq - President of the IICO and the Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Marzouq Al-Ghanim -Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Zayani, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council and representatives of the participating delegations including Mrs. Zehra Zumrut Selcuk from SESRIC.

Dr. Abdullah Ma'atouq Al-Maatouq, the President of IICO, acknowledged that Muslim women had been a major part of the Muslim community throughout the history and expressed appreciation for the active contribution of women in social life following the Sharia. He also stated that World Conference has been organized mainly in order to encourage Muslim women to engage in charitable work.

Throughout the Conference, the participants exchanged their expertise and experience about the role of women in charity work in their countries, put forward the challenges preventing women to take more active role in philanthropic initiatives and discussed the ways to overcome these obstacles.

The Conference reached at a conclusion that an international reference document on the charitable work should be issued based on Sharia and its purposes with the aim of strengthening the role of women in the field of charity work. Participants also recommended that the Scientific Committee should work on the document and submit the final document to the concerned authorities for approval regionally and internationally.

For more information please visit: http://www.iicowric.org/en/index.html