It's the 8th day of Passover. In 8 days 112 of our #ChibokGirls would have been In Boko Haram captivity for 4 years. Leah Sharibu, one of the #DapchiGirls and thousands of other Nigerians are also still held captive by Boko Haram. Keep demanding their rescue and reunification with their families.
#BringBackOurGirlsNYC: WHAT YOU CAN DO
We
initially witnessed an unprecedented outpouring of support from all over the
world by ordinary people, students, politicians, community leaders and
entertainers urging the world to '#bringbackourgirls'. This global activism
fortified those within the country and kept the pressure on the Nigerian
government to take credible action. However,
it has now been almost 4 years and many have forgotten about the plight of the
Chibok Girls, 112 of whom remain in captivity.
More
is needed today to remind the world that the #ChibokGirls are
#NeverToBeForgotten! Here’s what you can
do!
1)
Additional pressure must be brought
to bear on the Nigerian government to make the issue of the return of the
Chibok Girls and other abducted persons a priority; commit to greater
transparency; and provide daily briefings where information can be shared with
families of abductees and the general public.
As such, diplomatic missions and embassies around the world should be
targeted for lobby visits, phone calls, and public demonstrations. Please write to the U.S. Ambassador to
Nigeria, W. Stuart Symington, Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District
Area, Abuja, Nigeria (InformationOffice@state.gov) Telephone: (234)-9-461-4000; Fax: (234)-9-461-4036and ask
him to demand that the Nigerian government move with urgency and make the
return of the Chibok Girls and other abducted persons in Nigeria a priority.
2)
International organizations like Amnesty
International, Human Rights Watch, as well as intergovernmental agencies like UN
Women, 405 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 Tel: +1 646 781-4400 Fax: +1
646 781-4444, UN Office for the Representative for Children in Armed Conflict, Virginia
Gamba – Under-Secretary-General 405 East 42nd St New York, NY 10017 Fax:
212-963-0807; Fabienne Vinet Tel: 212-963-5986, email: vinet@un.org. UN Office
for the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict led by Under-Secretary-General
Pramila Patten (andersonl@un.org);
212-963-0910, must continue to demand respect for the rule of law and the
rights of women. Please write to them
and ask that they join the rallying cry for the return of the Chibok Girls and
other abducted persons in Nigeria.
3)
We applaud but urge additional efforts
by the international community to host comprehensive dialogues on addressing
extremism. This global issue needs
global responses that do not solely rely on militarized responses. Please continue to rally, protest, march and
create dialogue on this issue until the Chibok Girls are returned.
4)
As
a diaspora, we appreciate the outpouring of help and support. However, we
want Nigeria to remain independent, autonomous, and sovereign. We
nonetheless encourage U.S.
citizens to call their representatives to express appreciation for efforts
already taken, while simultaneously urging greater action in partnership with
the efforts of the Nigerian government which we believe should remain in the foreground
in restoring these girls to normalcy and guaranteeing the security and
well-being of all its people.
5)
Take
a personal pledge to amplify the silenced voices of the Chibok Girls and/or
become a #ChibokGirlsAmbassador until all the girls are returned home.
