People march up Queen Street to call for the safe return of hundreds of schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria last month. Photo / Dean Purcell
People march up Queen Street to call for the safe return of hundreds of schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria last month. Photo / Dean Purcell
About 60 people marched up Auckland's Queen St today to call for the safe return of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted in Nigeria last month.
The march was organised by University of Auckland student Lydia Hollister-Jones, who said marchers created a lot of noise and drew support from members ofthe African community in Auckland.
"Everyone was really passionate and excited to be able to take part," she said.
"As Kiwis, we are lucky to live in a country where education is celebrated, and where education for women is a right, not merely a privilege, so we need to show, not only those girls, but the world's leaders that this is an issue the people of Auckland care about."
The march at midday finished in Aotea Square, where talks were given by Amnesty International and a member of the Nigerian community in Auckland.
The schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram on April 15, and a video was released on May 15 that showed some of them wearing hijab, and claimed they had converted to Islam.
Boko Haram has demanded that the girls be swapped in exchange for members of its group currently held in jail.
