Press Releases

Please join Rep. Frederica Wilson and a bipartisan group of lawmakers for a roundtable discussion with two young women who witnessed their parents' deaths at the hands of Boko Haram and then were abducted from their homes by the terrorist group. Despite being repeatedly raped, forced to wed, and becoming mothers when they were still children themselves, these resilient young women are laser focused on one goal: completing their educations so they can live successful lives.

Who: Rep. Frederica Wilson and Reps. Karen Bass (CA), Debbie Dingell (MI), Lois Frankel (FL), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), Barbara Lee (CA), Carolyn Maloney (NY), Gwen Moore (WI) and other lawmakers. Ya Kaka Babagana, 19, and Hauwa Umar, 18, who were abducted by Boko Haram in 2014 and escaped their captors. Stephanie Sinclair, founder and executive director of Too Young to Wed. Officials from federal agencies and human rights agencies (invited).

What: Roundtable discussion on the impact of terrorism on the lives of Nigeria's girls and women; the importance of access to education; and policies and other strategies needed to address gender-based violence and support its victims.

When: Wednesday, March 7, 2018, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (Note: Time may adjust slightly based on when the first vote series is called.)

Where: HVC 215 in the U.S. Capitol