PESHAWAR, Oct 6: A declaration adopted at the end of the International Women Conference here on Saturday dismissed what it called the propaganda of vested interests associating terrorism with Islam.

“We clarify that Islam is the religion of peace and harmony,” the declaration said.

The conference was held under the aegis of the International Muslim Women Union, a Khartoum-based non-governmental organization, in collaboration with NWFP’s ministry of education, attracted participants from countries as far as Sudan, Iran, Egypt, China, Germany, Morocco, Nepal, Mauritius, Kenya, Bosnia, Jordan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia and Thailand. NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani was the chief guest on the occasion. The conference flayed the critics of women’s rights in Islam.  

“Islam has bestowed respect and honour on women,” the declaration read.“We do not back the concept that women’s rights could only be preserved by creating confrontation and competition between men and women and generating equal economic income by women.

“We believe the responsibility to look after children and take care of the household is more important to women than any other economic activity,” it said.

The declaration called upon member states of the Organization of Islamic Conference 

to take effective steps and pass legislation to ensure economic, social, political and legal rights of women in accordance with the teachings of Islam.—Correspondent