91 Chibok school girls still in captivity after 10 years – UN report
The UN Committee on the removal of Discrimination in opposition to girls (CEDAW) has discovered that ninety one Chibok schoolgirls are either nevertheless in captivity or are still lacking, ten years after their abduction.
CEDAW also stated that many survivors keep to undergo trauma and social stigma, with little to no get right of entry to to adequate support services.
The findings have been published in an inquiry record following a two-week exclusive mission to Nigeria in December 2023.
for the duration of the visit, the CEDAW delegation conducted checks in Abuja as well as in several states, which includes Adamawa, Borno, Enugu, and Kaduna.
“The committee finds grave and systematic violations persist after the Chibok mass abduction of schoolgirls,” the record stated.
“Nigeria is answerable for grave and systematic violations of female’s and ladies’ rights amid multiple mass abductions.”
The experts said urgent measures had been needed to stop torture and unwell-remedy.
according to school group of workers, they have been the first UN delegation to have visited Chibok authorities Secondary school since the mass abduction in 2014.
In Abuja, they met with the Director of the female development branch and the Director of Defence and security.
The committee also met with officers from the national company for the Prohibition of Trafficking in folks and representatives from the Nigerian military and the Police service fee.
The delegation visited an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Abuja, wherein they interviewed sufferers of abductions with the aid of Boko Haram, as well as ladies and women who were kidnapped for ransom through different corporations.
“The preliminary cognizance of the Committee’s inquiry was once at the mass abduction done by using Boko Haram in 2014, while 276 schoolgirls have been taken from Chibok Secondary faculty in Borno state.
“Of that number, 82 controlled to escape on their very own, at the same time as 103 have been released in small organizations among 2016 and 2017 through prisoner exchanges.
“as a minimum ninety one of the Chibok women remain in captivity, or their whereabouts are still unknown.”
however, the scope of the CEDAW inquiry prolonged past the Chibok case, encompassing abductions achieved by using different armed corporations in subsequent years, inclusive of those committed for ransom.
Nahla Haidar, Chair of the Committee, stated: “the abduction of the Chibok girls was once no longer an remoted tragedy but part of a sequence of mass abductions targeting colleges and groups across northern Nigeria.
“though it used to be the first publicised case to benefit global guide.
“while such assaults had started out in advance, Chibok marked the beginning of improved international attention of a decade-long pattern of mass abduction.”
Haidar introduced: “at least 1,400 students had been kidnapped from schools for the reason that Chibok abduction.
“those ladies have been regularly taken for ransom, pressured marriage, trafficking and prisoner exchange.
“The Committee taken into consideration that the country party’s repeated failure to defend schoolgirls and different ladies and female from abductions amounts to systematic and grave violations,” she added.
The record documented the harsh situations in Boko Haram and different armed companies’ detention, in which the Chibok girls have been now not given enough food and overwhelmed if they disobeyed.
It added that many had been pressured to marry opponents, forced to transform their faith and a few gave delivery in captivity.
“other survivors of abductions for ransom by other armed organizations faced extraordinarily excessive risks of sexual violence, often struggling repeated rape by means of exceptional guys, and different physical violence,” the report found.
For the Chibok girls, the record stated results after release various.
CEDAW stated folks that escaped on their personal could not move returned to their villages due to the stigmatisation of girls associated with Boko Haram and different armed agencies.
The document alleged that lots of them had reportedly received neither rehabilitation, counselling nor schooling.
“The 103 girls freed thru government negotiations obtained schooling and psychosocial care in Abuja, with many taking advantage of scholarships at the yank university of Nigeria and abroad,” CEDAW brought.
“meanwhile, the destiny of the ninety one ultimate Chibok women stays unknown, as the authorities used to be no longer pursuing negotiations with the armed warring parties,” the report referred to.
“The memories of survivors highlight now not solely the struggling persisted throughout captivity, but also the profound challenges confronted upon their go back.
“those women had been failed twice, first once they were abducted, and again whilst so lots of them were left abandoned besides care or support after escaping, including those left in IDPs’ camps.
“in addition, many families had been left destitute having used all their assets to pay the ransom to the kidnappers,” Haidar said.
The Committee concluded that authorities had didn’t save you centered assaults on colleges and communities, guard schoolgirls from abduction and make sure their right to schooling.
“It additionally found the nation birthday celebration didn’t destigmatise survivors of abduction, especially victims of rape and their infants.”
The authority is likewise held chargeable for failing to criminalise abduction and marital r@pe throughout all 36 states.
“The Committee urged the state celebration to proactively searching for to rescue the remaining ninety one Chibok women and all different abducted women and female who’re being held captive through Boko Haram and different armed companies.
“It also asked Nigeria to accurately fund and equip the Police force to defend women and ladies from mass abduction.”
It stated the total inquiry report with findings and guidelines had been now to be had on-line.
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