Amnesty International has called on the Federal Government to rescue girls that are still in captivity , especially those in Terrorists camps and protect their rights.
The Group also called for the reintegration of girls and young women who were victims of terrorism attacks across the country.
The Programme Manager Amnesty International Nigeria, Ms Barbara Magaji made the call at an event to commemorate the International Day of The Girl Child
.
She said the call became important in view of the sad negative experiences the girls had undergone and the need for government to pay closer attention to their needs.
Her words: “Part of our agenda for this year is to push for reintegration of the girls and young women who have had all types of violations through the terrorists across the country and even security forces
“Our advocacy is for government not to forget them. Some of them have come back with children who are tagged children of terrorists”. she said.
‘’So our call to government is to ensure that they reintegrate them back into the society to take care of them. Some of them are already mothers, to take care of them, to ensure that those who still want to be educated are educated, for instance, health services are provided for them. But importantly also to take care of their children, the children that they’ve come back with.
A member of Amnesty International Nigeria, Ms Helen Adah said the International Day of The Girl Child was celebrated by the organisation to address the unique challenges the girl-child faces.
‘’So for Amnesty International, we value every child, the girl child as much as the boy child. But the girl child faces different unique challenges. And then this is a day to bring those challenges to the limelight.
‘’But this is not only about the challenges, we also want to celebrate their wins, their potentials. And that is why we have invited girls from different schools to come here today and celebrate them. So this is what the program is all about, celebrating girls and then shedding limelight on their challenges they face as girls’’ She stated.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama