ADEA condemns abduction of schoolgirls in Nigeria

ADEA condemns recent abduction of schoolgirls held captive in Nigeria and the threat put on parents who send their children to school.

It is deeply concerned with the plight of these girls and sympathize with their families.

It joins the international community and governments around the world in condemning this despicable act and call on the government of Nigeria to do everything that is possible to free the girls.

It also applaud the international communities’ efforts to support the government of Nigeria to bring back the girls to their families.

On this occasion, it also reaffirms the prime importance of education as a foundation for human, social and economic development. It emphasizes in particular the importance of girls’ education and of creating safe school environments for them as well as for all children. The problem of violence towards girls at school was highlighted  in a study conducted for  ADEA by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2012. "Gender-related violence in schools as a factor of school leaving in sub-Saharan Africa" (available in french).