On April 29, 2021, in Nigeria, a young female graduate who went in search of a job was raped and murdered by a man who had posted a fake job opening on Twitter. Seven years earlier, in April 2014, the world woke up to the shocking news of the kidnapping by Boko Haram of 276 female students aged 16 – 18 years from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria. While a majority of the students have been rescued in the years since then, well over a 100 of the girls are still missing. As tragic as the two cases cited here are, they are sadly, not altogether rare occurrences in Nigeria today.

This panel discussion will shed more light on gender-based violence in Nigeria and its effects on victims and society as a whole. Panelists include Dame (Mrs.) Pauline Kedem Tallen, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Nigeria; Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a Co-Founder of the #BringBackOurGirls Movement, a group of diverse citizens advocating for the rescue of the schoolgirls that were abducted in Chibok; and Aisha Yesufu, the immediate past Chairperson of the strategic team of the #BringBackOurGirls Movement. The discussion will be moderated by DSPI staff and Harvard GlobalWE member, Dr. Isang Awah. This event is organised by Harvard GlobalWE and will be held via Zoom on Saturday July 24th at 12 pm ET/ 5pm (GMT+1).