Women’s Day: Mrs Buhari wants intensified effort for release of Dapchi girls

THE wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, has called for more effective actions to ensure the release of the over 100 Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists.

Mrs Buhari made the appeal in her address to mark the 2018 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrated on with the theme: “Time is now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives’’.

While flagging off a campaign tagged “Leave our girls alone”, She described the abduction of the schoolgirls as an evil on women.

Mrs Buhari, therefore, called on wives of state governors, women leaders and the media to champion this campaign so as to stop the adoption of girls.

She also called on terrorists to stop the adoption of school girls and every other form of violence against women, stressing the need for appropriate punishment for abusers in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

Besides, she urged all stakeholders to ensure there was stop to the plight of women and girls, lamenting that this group of Nigerians have suffered lots of discrimination and violence.

“This year’s celebration reflects the sad incidence of adoption of young school girls, and other sad stories of crises which had turned women into widows should take centre stage of our celebration.

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“We are aware of efforts by government and other stakeholders towards tackling terrorism and communal clashes, but we expect these efforts to yield good results,” she said.

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The wife of the president further called on all women and girls to always speak out, pray and show goodwill to ensure a peaceful society.

Earlier, wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osibanjo, said women are facing the best of times with many achievements, as well as the worst of times following the violence against them.

She, however, urged women not to be discouraged by whatever situation they are faced with, saying women’s day is not only just about the good of women but when men do good, it is for the women.

The Director-General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Mrs Mary Ekpere-Eta, noted that this year’s IWD follows an unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality and justice.