Tuesday, April 14th 2015 marked the first anniversary of the abduction of the over 200 girls from Chibok in Northern Nigeria. To commemorate the occasion, AWDF, in conjunction with the University of Ghana’s Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA), organised a peaceful candlelight vigil where Ghana’s Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Honourable Nana Oye Lithur, delivered a powerful and moving address, affirming Ghana’s solidarity with the Nigerian people and called for the safe return of the girls:

Members of the Diplomatic Community

Chief Executive Officer, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Theo Sowa

Representatives from AWDF and CEGENSA

Students

Ladies and Gentlemen

I thank you for inviting me to this solemn ceremony. Exactly a year ago, more than 230 girls, with hope for a better future were in school at Chibok in Northern Nigeria. They knew that they would finish secondary school and continue to pursue their dreams of an accomplished educated life that they could pass on to their children’s children. They knew that education was the sure way to working in any of their country’s corporate institutions or creating their own businesses to improve the economic conditions of their families. They had parents who were regularly expectant of the results from their investment in their children’s education.

But then all these dreams came to an abrupt end. The world woke up to the rude shock of the abduction of these girls by militant group Boko Haram. The shock of this marauding swoop by Boko Haram resulted in demonstrations and calls from peoples of all walks of life worldwide for the return of the girls. Nigerian campaigners used social media, particularly Twitter, to raise awareness about the kidnapping. The #bringbackourgirls online campaign caught on well with notable personalities like First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama and Democratic Presidential nominee hopeful Hillary Clinton as well as a number of prominent celebrities, joining it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this heinous crime attracted the attention of many countries, which offered their assistance to Nigeria for the girls’ return or rescue:

• The United Kingdom agreed to send experts to Nigeria to assist in the search for the students.

• The United States also agreed to send experts to Nigeria to assist in the search for the students.
• France offered a specialist team.

• China announced its intention to make available any useful information acquired by its satellites and intelligence services.

• Canada joined the international effort to free the schoolgirls.
• Iran offered to help Nigeria resolve the issue of the abduction of the female students.

• Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, offered assistance to the Nigerian President in locating the missing pupils.

ECOWAS member countries have stood up to the fight for the return of these girls. On the 17^th of January this year, I chaired an ECOWAS meeting of Gender Ministries West Africa. After the meeting, we issued a Declaration that described as “unacceptable and intolerable, the act of lawlessness and impunity demonstrated through the abduction of the Chibok girls…” We noted the “direct and indirect consequences of insurgency
” and reaffirmed “our strong support to the government and people of Nigeria.”

I made a similar call at the 59^th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. I asked for the “immediate and unconditional release of the more than 200 Chibok girls and other abducted persons in Northern Nigeria.”

The Chairman of ECOWAS, President John Mahama, speaking to West African representatives in Germany recently noted that “no country can say that the Boko Haram threat is too far away to be affected” and that “the whole continent is under threat.” President Mahama, as Chairman of ECOWAS, has led the call for the creation of a multinational force to deal with Boko Haram. Currently, Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Benin have contributed troops to fight Boko Haram.

Indeed, the hearts of many were gladdened recently, when it was reported that the headquarters of Boko Haram had been retaken.

Each of the last 365 days has passed with parents of our daughters going to bed, wondering what could be happening to their [children]. I am glad that the concern for the return of these girls has not waned.

The Chibok girls have still not been returned. We need to sustain the campaign; and that is why I commend the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and the Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA) for putting this programme together. This public show of support for the families and parents of the missing girls is indeed timely

Ghana as a country shares the pain of the parents of the girls. We as a People and Government commit to do all in our power to help find the girls.

Our President who is ECOWAS Chairman is leading this crusade for the return of the girls and we know they shall be found.

May God bless us all and help #bringbackourgirls!