A basic human function like menstruation should no longer be a justification for denying women and girls with disabilities their basic human rights. It should no longer be a barrier to education, to independent reproductive choices and bodily integrity, or to freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment.
We must keep and maintain this engine of the new face of Nigerian female activism, which is gaining traction with the nationwide protests and initiatives to find the abducted Chibok girls. This campaign must continue to run strong so that younger women may see and know that it is not a sacrilege to recognize injustice and speak against it.
There is no one thing that makes someone a girl, and more importantly, you could not think of a less insulting insult than to call someone a girl. Many girls like flowers. Many boys like hockey. I like flowers and I like hockey. Don't define people and their traits by their gender, define them by how helpful or hurtful they are.
Fewer than 60 percent of girls have met a woman in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) career. Maybe that is part of the reason why women represent only 14 percent of the engineering workforce. If there were more role models, how many more girls might be inspired to pursue a passion in engineering or start up a tech company?
Nigerians and people around the world are increasingly demanding the safe return of more than 200 schoolgirls who are still missing after militant extremists from the group Boko Haram staged a mass kidnapping in the northern region of the country. The situation does not seem to be getting any better. This week, reports emerged of a second kidnapping of 11 more girls.