World education community shows solidarity with missing schoolgirls in Nigeria

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Colleagues,

July 23 2014 will mark 100 days since 219 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria were abducted by the terrorist group Boko Haram.

The ‘A World at School’ campaign launched by Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy on Global Education, is marking the day with a new mobilisation effort to show “communal solidarity” with the girls and their families and to reiterate the call to Nigerian authorities to increase efforts to bring back the abducted girls.  This campaign is supported by Education International (http://www.ei-ie.org/en/uaas/uaa_details/55).

You can help to show solidarity by doing the following:

  1.  Send appeals using the following model letter,  to the Nigerian authorities:

His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
GCFR President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Office of the President, Nigerian Presidential Complex
Aso Rock Presidential Villa
Abuja, Nigeria
Email: info@nigeria.gov.ng

His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
GCFR President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

On July 23 2014, it will be 100 days since 219 schoolgirls were abducted from Chibok by the terrorist group Boko Haram. As educators, we believe and support the right of girls to be educated without fear and violence.  We therefore urge the Nigerian authorities to:

  • Strengthen security and ensure the protection of teachers, students, schools and the entire education system in Nigeria;
  • Increase all efforts to bring the abducted girls, as well as all other abducted civilians, back to their families and ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice; and to
  • Increase the percentage of GDP spent on education to meet the target of 6% as recommended by the United Nations.

The fate of the girls is of enormous concern to us all who believe and campaign for the right of girls to be educated equally with boys, and without fear and violence.

  1. Contact your Government and the diplomatic representation of Nigeria requesting them to engage with the Nigerian authorities
  2. Encourage your branch to join the campaign #BringBackOurGirls on Facebook and Twitter

 

Apologies for any cross-posting.

Best wishes

Sharon Russell
Equality Officer
Equality and Participation

University and College Union
Carlow Street
London NW1 7LH
Tel: 020 7756 2538
Web: www.ucu.org.uk