As the world gets set to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, the #BringBackOurGirls movement and the families of the abducted Chibok girls have called for a Global Week of Action from the 11th to 18th October, 2014 to mobilize everyone around the world to demand for the immediate rescue of the girls.
Speaking in a press release issued and signed by Rev. Enoch Mark and Oby Ezekwesili, parent of one of the abducted Chibok girls and Co-Convener respectively and eight others, the group pointed out that the call becomes necessary as this year’s theme for the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child, “Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending The Circle of Violence”, coincided with the period when the group was still agitating for the immediate release of the girls who were victims of violence being perpetuated in Nigeria by the Boko Haram sect.
It noted that those girls were adolescent girls who against all odds sought education in order to be empowered in their bid to become responsible leaders of the society calling on the world not to forget the girls.
The release read in part,” how can the world move on without 219 promising young women whose zeal for education should be an example for girls everywhere in the world. We cannot afford for girls and parents anywhere in the world to be forced to choose between education and personal safety”.
“We therefore make this global call to all political leaders, the United Nations, Civil Society groups, religious leaders, development partners, celebrities and all well-meaning individuals to come out en-masse during this week Global Week of Action and raise their voices to demand renewed actions for the immediate rescue of our Chibok girls. We ask that various on-the-ground activities and the social media be used to show support and solidarity for #Chibok”.
The group further called on the Nigerian Government and other governments lending support to the rescue operation to intensify any actions already taken to achieve quick result of the immediate rescue of the Chibok girls.
“We encourage friends of our #Chibokgirls around the world to hold vigils in communities and where possible at Nigerian Embassies in your countries. Please help spread the message to pupils and students in schools, to people at churches, mosques and temples. Please call on your leaders to do everything possible to help #BringBackOurGirls NOW and ALIVE”, the statement reads.
It will be recalled that October 14, 2014 will make it six (6) months since the girls were abducted by the Boko Haram Sect from their school-Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria. The Boko Haram sect leader had claimed responsibility for the mass abduction in a video where he informed the world that he planned to sell the girls into slavery.
