Raising awareness: Malala campaigns for missing girls in Nigeria
Malala will meet President Goodluck Jonathan today.
ABUJA:
Pakistani pupil and education activist Malala Yousafzai held meetings on Sunday in the Nigerian capital of Abuja with parents of the over 200 girls abducted in northern Nigeria and leaders of a group campaigning for their release.
According to a member of her entourage, Malala will meet President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in the Nigeria capital, exactly three months after 276 girls were abducted by Boko Haram extremists from their school in Chibok.
The Pakistani activist met separately with leaders of the BringBackOurGirls campaign group, 15 parents of the abducted girls and five of the girls who escaped from their abductors. “The situation at Chibok is the same as the situation in Swat where some extremists stopped more than 400 girls from going to school,” Malala told the escapees after listening to their stories.
Malala encouraged the girls to fight against the odds and continue their quest for learning. Eventually they would succeed in their endeavours, just as the young girls in Swat have managed to do so, she said.
“We will be here one day and see all of you going to school, getting an education,” she added.
Malala asked the Nigerian government to pay serious attention to the plight of the school girls to safeguard the future of the country.
She urged Nigerian authorities to ensure the safe release of the remaining girls being held hostage by the extremists.
Parents and local leaders have accused the military of doing nothing to secure the release of the hostages.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2014.
Pakistani pupil and education activist Malala Yousafzai held meetings on Sunday in the Nigerian capital of Abuja with parents of the over 200 girls abducted in northern Nigeria and leaders of a group campaigning for their release.
According to a member of her entourage, Malala will meet President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in the Nigeria capital, exactly three months after 276 girls were abducted by Boko Haram extremists from their school in Chibok.
The Pakistani activist met separately with leaders of the BringBackOurGirls campaign group, 15 parents of the abducted girls and five of the girls who escaped from their abductors. “The situation at Chibok is the same as the situation in Swat where some extremists stopped more than 400 girls from going to school,” Malala told the escapees after listening to their stories.
Malala encouraged the girls to fight against the odds and continue their quest for learning. Eventually they would succeed in their endeavours, just as the young girls in Swat have managed to do so, she said.
“We will be here one day and see all of you going to school, getting an education,” she added.
Malala asked the Nigerian government to pay serious attention to the plight of the school girls to safeguard the future of the country.
She urged Nigerian authorities to ensure the safe release of the remaining girls being held hostage by the extremists.
Parents and local leaders have accused the military of doing nothing to secure the release of the hostages.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2014.