Frederica Wilson: “Boko Haram kidnapped hundreds of girls in Nigeria, and I am outraged. These girls were determined to get an education…”

“Boko Haram kidnapped hundreds of girls in Nigeria, and I am outraged. These girls were determined to get an education, to build a better life for themselves, for their families and for their nation. For this, they were abducted. As a school principal, I know the benefits of an education. Tragedies such as these are not limited to Nigeria. The pursuit of education for our girls is under attack globally. Young girls have had acid thrown in their faces in Afghanistan and Pakistan, been murdered in Somalia, have been abducted in Libya and Nigeria; and these are just a few examples. We all know the story of Malala, the brave young girl from Pakistan who spoke about her passion for education. In return, Taliban gunmen boarded her school bus and shot her in the head. Now, we have the Nigerian girls, and I am concerned. Are they hungry? Are they sheltered? Can they shower? Can they take care of their womanly needs? Have they been raped? Have they been beaten? Have they been sold? Are they still even alive? Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe we must continue to do everything we can to bring back these young girls. ____________________”