UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund welcomes the release of an additional 82 Chibok girls who were abducted by Boko Haram and is on standby to provide emergency reproductive healthcare and psychosocial counselling and support to the survivors. 

In partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the Government of Canada, UNFPA continues to support women and girls who are victims of sexual and gender based violence. For the newly rescued Chibok girls, an emergency team of psychosocial counsellors and health professionals have been deployed to assist with the profiling of the girls. Dignity kits consisting of culturally appropriate dresses and feminine hygiene supplies have been procured and will be distributed to help restore the dignity of the girls.

The newly –released girls will also be part of a similar rehabilitation programme that was set-up for the 21 Chibok girls released in October 2016. The programme is tailored made to meet each girl’s peculiar needs of counselling to help overcome the trauma endured after being held under captivity for more than three (3) years. The programme includes among others; access to quality education to bridge the learning gap created during the abduction, access to reproductive healthcare for their sexual wellbeing and rehabilitation support, and a skills acquisition programme to ease their re-integration back into their society.  

Since the insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria, 6 in 10 girls are reported to have experienced a form of gender-based violence (GBV) and many have limited access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. UNFPA and partners have provided direct prevention and response services to 200,000 women and girl survivors or at risk of GBV through its ‘safe spaces’ and community outreach. Over 3.5 million survivors have been provided with sexual and reproductive health care services and psychosocial support and counselling.

UNFPA remains committed to delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

For more information or media inquiries please contact:

Lolade Johnson, Communications Officer Tel:  0705 1111200; odaniel@unfpa.org

Kori Habi,; Media Associate Tel 0803 450 0016; habib@unfpa.org