Two weeks after hundreds of schoolgirls went missing in Nigeria, scores of women across the country have taken to the streets and social media to demand the government do more to “bring back our girls”.
Though an exact figure on the missing is still uncertain, approximately 300 schoolgirls between 15 and 18 were abducted from their school dorms in the Northern Nigerian region of Borno state on the night of April 14. There are conflicting reports now as to how many girls remain missing, given approximately 50 have reportedly escaped, as well as whether they have been taken across borders or forced into marriage with the Boko Karam militants responsible for the kidnapping.
Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group which means “Western education is sinful”, has vowed to wipe the influence of secular society from Northern Nigeria. The group’s existence highlights the plight — and overwhelming risk — that women and children face in obtaining an education in Nigeria.
The missing women faced an incredible risk in seeking an education. They had already reached secondary eduction, which alone is a significant feat in a country that spends just 1.5% of its GDP on education and consistently faces threats from extremist militants.
In Nigeria, there are still over 10 million children who don’t have access to education, approximately six million of whom are girls. Educating girls in Nigeria is not considered economically valuable, and regarded as too expensive. In the Northern region girls face even more challenges, with the enrolment of girls in secondary school sitting at just 22% and many parents taking their children out of school due to the fear of terrorist insurgency. Girls in the region are also being married off at a much younger age than across the rest of the country, with 67.4% of girls married by the age of 15.
Amnesty International says 70 teachers and 100 schoolchildren lost their lives in the Borno state last year, while 209 schools have been destroyed in the region and 800 classrooms burned down.
Meanwhile, as criticism mounts against Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan’s inaction, the desperate parents of the girls have begged for international help. With little progress made to secure their release, or to confirm their whereabouts, these parents have started to conduct their own searches, despite facing significant risk.
Although the global community has been slow to step up since the girls were kidnapped last month, the social media hashtag #bringbackourgirls, started by former World Bank vice-president, Africa division, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, has helped bring international attention to the situation. Protestors have taken to the streets around the world over the weekend to demand the rescue of the girls and place pressure on the Nigerian government. The US and Britain have both vowed to step in and provide assistance.