Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday stressed the urgency of girls' education, saying that empowering this faction of the society was a key to lifting families and nations. Opening the two-day "International Conference on Girls' Education in Muslim Communities: Challenges and Opportunities", in Islamabad, the PM called for collective efforts to develop scalable and sustainable solutions for girls' education.  The international conference has brought together experts, policymakers and educators from around the globe to address critical issues surrounding girls' education in Muslim-majority regions. The event, which is hosting approximately 150 delegates from 47 countries, aims to identify actionable solutions to the barriers hindering education for girls in these communities. The participants will also explore opportunities to foster dialogue and promote inclusive educational practices that empower young women. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has also reached Pakistan after a gap of over two years to attend the two-day global conference as a special guest.  Pakistan is facing a severe education crisis, with more than 26 million children out of school, the majority in rural areas, according to official government figures — one of the highest rates in the world. PM Shehbaz declared an "education emergency" last year, and said he would increase the education budget from 1.7% of GDP to 4% over the next five years. At the conference today, PM Shehbaz said millions of young girls over the next decade will enter the job market, emphasising they have the potential not just to lift themselves, their families and nations out of poverty but also to enrich the global economy. He stressed that the girls' education is a cause worth fighting for, investing in, and advocating passionately. "We owe it to our mothers, sisters, and daughters to ensure that their rights are respected, their ambitions are fulfilled, and that no cultural inhibitions stand in the way of achieving their dreams," he added.  The prime minister said that despite our rich legacy, the Muslim world including Pakistan faces significant challenges in ensuring equitable access to education for girls. He noted that denying education to girls is tantamount to denying them their voice and choice while depriving them of their right to a bright future.   He pointed out that in Pakistan, women make up more than half of the total population, yet the female literacy rate stands at only 49%. Alarmingly, he said around 22.8 million children in the age bracket of five to 16 years are out of school with a disproportionate number being girls.  The premier said a major step towards addressing education disparities in Pakistan was the establishment of Daanish schools, a unique initiative introduced to provide quality education to unprivileged children in rural and under-developed areas. He said this initiative is now being replicated in far-flung regions of Pakistan, paving the way for a promising and more inclusive future. Through the government's flagship youth program, he said, the government is committed to providing quality education, creating jobs and offering meaningful opportunities which include scholarships and vocational training in demand-driven skills. The prime minister said the pursuit of knowledge is a sacred duty for every Muslim regardless of gender as emphasised by Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The prime minister said the federal government has decided to place the Islamabad declaration to be signed by this conference before the UN including the UN Security Council as a collective aspiration of the Ummah. The prime minister's speech was followed by the signing of the International Partnership Agreement, representing a collective commitment to furthering the cause of girls' education.