UN Committee Finds Nigeria Violated Rights of Chibok Abduction Survivors

UN Committee Finds Nigeria Violated Rights of Chibok Abduction Survivors
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A UN committee has held Nigeria accountable for “grave and systematic violations” of women’s and girls’ rights following the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls by Boko Haram, Jurist news agency reported. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) released a report on Wednesday, citing severe trauma endured by survivors and the government’s failure to provide adequate rehabilitation.

The findings follow the committee’s 2023 fact-finding visits to several Nigerian states, where members met with officials and survivors. The report highlights forced marriages, religious conversions, and physical and sexual abuse inflicted on the abducted girls. Many survivors received little to no support after their release, while families were left without assistance.

Of the 276 girls abducted from Chibok, 103 have been rescued, and 91 remain missing, with no active negotiations underway. As a signatory to international human rights treaties, Nigeria is obligated to protect women’s rights and ensure personal security.