World Denounces Nigerian Abduction; Demands Safe Return

Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton along with other world leaders, have denounced the recent abduction of over 200 Nigerian girls from the dormitory of their boarding school, by Boko Haram group, a known terrorist group, and presumably sold into slavery.

 

"This unconscionable act was committed by a terrorist group determined to keep these girls from getting an education – grown men attempting to snuff out the aspirations of young girls," said First Lady Michelle Obama in a weekly radio address.

The abduction, that occurred nearly one month ago, has only recently been revealed to the world as news from the region is slow to trickle out to news organizations and even more difficult to obtain the truth.

Education is a valued commodity, in Nigeria, women and girls are sold for sex. Nigeria has one of the highest teenage rape statistics in the world.

While world leaders focus on the safe return of these girls another female, Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan, the teen shot by the Taliban and left for dead for her efforts to gain an education.

"Malala survived…and when I met her last year, I could feel her passion and determination as she told me that girls' education is still her life's mission," said Mrs. Obama. "As Malala said in her address to the United Nations, she said "The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born."

Women, globally, from every walk of life can ensure the this generation, and the next, has an equal chance to obtain an education, an equal chance to make work life decisions, to choose to raise a family, to work, to do both, every woman, everywhere can raise her voice to demand these girls are returned and given the chance for education. 

Haute Tease