“I want to forget that I once lived with Boko Haram. I want to come out of this camp and start all over again."
EE, a survivor from Maiduguri, Borno State.

Girls and young women in north-east Nigeria suffered horrific abuses in Boko Haram captivity, with many survivors then unlawfully detained and neglected by the Nigerian authorities. Now, these girls and young women are sending a clear message. They want to rebuild their lives. Join this action and #EmpowerOurGirls.

For over a decade, Boko Haram used girls and young women as “wives”, forcibly marrying them, some multiple times, and subjecting them to years of domestic servitude and sexual violence including forced pregnancy.

Many girls and young women who escaped Boko Haram returned to government-controlled areas with unique needs. The crimes that they endured have long-lasting consequences that are specific to their age and gender, including health complications, lack of access to education, as well as stigma and rejection by their families and communities.

Despite some family reunification efforts, the Nigerian government has largely failed to promote their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration, as required by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to which Nigeria is a state party. 

These girls and young women have now found the courage to speak out and they are claiming their lives back. Urge the President of Nigeria to empower these girls and young women by ensuring their access to medical care, education, and livelihood support.