Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, through her speech at this year’s celebration of Women’s Day, has launched a “Leave Our Girls Alone” campaign with a charge to perpetrators of abductions and various harmful practices against women and girls in the country to stop forthwith.
Mrs Buhari spoke during an event to mark the 2018 International Women’s Day, held at the National Center for Women Development in Abuja, on Thursday, where she introduced the local theme, “Leave our daughters alone” described by her as a strong call for the end of abductions in the country and charged the Nigerian Media to own the campaign and spread the message.
She observed that for Nigeria, the day must be marked with a difference considering the sad incidence of the abduction of girls, especially the case of Chibok and Dapchi, which must take the national spotlight.
“As a mother, I share the sorrow and agony of the parents at this time, it is my sincere hope that efforts by government will soon lead to their release,” she said.
The number one wife also charged wives of the governors to propagate the campaign in their various states, stating that the message must echo through all corners of Nigeria and be on everyone’s lips.
“Leave our daughters alone, leave our daughters alone, leave our daughters alone,” she charged.
Speaking earlier, wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, while congratulating women as they celebrated the special day, said it was sad that Nigerian women were witnessing the worst of times because of many negative things happening.
She however noted that at the same time “they are also witnessing the best of times in many respects. This is because there are many good stories happening around women.”
Director-General of the National Center for Women Development, Barrister Mary Ekpere-Eta, said this year, there was an unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality and justice.
She said sexual harassment, violence and discrimination against women had captured public discourse, propelled by a rising determination for change, which she noted were instrumental to the declaration by the Wife of the President on the harmful practices affecting women and girls in Nigeria.
She drew attention to the plight of rural women, who despite their hard work lack basic infrastructure and services, decent work and social protection, and are left more vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
She called for urgent action to reverse this trend and ensure better life for the rural women.
Goodwill messages were delivered by UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and a host of others at the event, which highlight was an exhibition of women’s business products.
