The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has revealed that 91 Chibok schoolgirls remain in captivity or are still missing, ten years after their abduction by Boko Haram in Nigeria. A recent inquiry report by CEDAW, following a two-week confidential mission to Nigeria in December 2023, highlights the ongoing trauma and social stigma faced by many survivors, with limited access to support services.
The CEDAW delegation conducted assessments in several states, including Adamawa, Borno, Enugu, and Kaduna, and met with officials from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the Police Service Commission. The committee also visited an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Abuja, where they interviewed victims of abductions by Boko Haram and other armed groups.
The report documents the systematic violations of women’s and girls’ rights in Nigeria, particularly in the context of mass abductions. CEDAW Chair Nahla Haidar noted that the Chibok abduction was not an isolated incident, but part of a decade-long pattern of mass abductions targeting schools and communities across northern Nigeria. At least 1,400 students have been kidnapped from schools since the Chibok abduction, often for ransom, forced marriage, trafficking, and prisoner exchange.
The report highlights the harsh conditions faced by the Chibok girls in captivity, including inadequate food, beatings, forced marriage, and conversion. Many survivors of abductions for ransom by other armed groups faced high risks of sexual violence, repeated rape, and physical violence. The outcomes for the Chibok girls after release varied, with some receiving rehabilitation, counseling, and schooling, while others were left without support or care.
CEDAW has urged the Nigerian government to take urgent measures to rescue the remaining 91 Chibok girls and all other abducted girls and women, and to adequately fund and equip the Police Force to protect women and girls from mass abduction. The committee has also called for the government to destigmatize survivors of abduction, especially victims of rape and their children, and to criminalize abduction and marital rape across all 36 states.
The CEDAW report emphasizes the need for the Nigerian government to take proactive steps to prevent targeted attacks on schools and communities, protect schoolgirls from abduction, and ensure their right to education. The full inquiry report with findings and recommendations is available online, providing a detailed account of the systematic violations of women’s and girls’ rights in Nigeria and the necessary measures to address them.