London, UK/ Borno State, Nigeria: To coincide with the two-year anniversary of the insurgency group Boko Haram’s abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, northeast Nigeria peacebuilding charity International Alert is holding the #FutureForOurGirls campaign, urging more support for the girls when they do return home, as well as their communities.

The kidnappings rose to global prominence after the #BringBackOurGirls campaign went viral on social media. However, most of these girls are still missing.

Whilst in recent months the Nigerian army has started retaking territory from Boko Haram and rescuing some of the estimated 2,000 victims abducted since 2012, a recent study by International Alert and UNICEF found that their communities do not always welcome returnees with open arms, treating them instead with suspicion and mistrust.

This is fuelled by a culture of stigma around sexual violence, giving rise to a fear that women and girls may have been radicalised in captivity. The children of these returning women and girls, whose fathers are believed to be Boko Haram fighters, are seen with even more suspicion, putting them at risk of discrimination and violence.

Kimairis Toogood, co-author of this report and Senior Peacebuilding Advisor for International Alert in Nigeria, said:

“With more victims now returning from captivity, we are appealing to the international community and the Nigerian government to do more now to support efforts to re-integrate them, and ensure they can build a life for themselves and their children.”

International Alert’s new project with UNICEF is showing a great deal can be done to transform the lives of many women and girls. Together with our local partners, Federation of Muslim Women's Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and Herwa Community Development Initiative, the project is helping survivors move forward together by running collective therapy sessions and dialogue clubs.

We also help reduce stigma and prepare communities for the return of survivors by fostering empathy and trust. This includes supporting religious leaders in promoting a culture of tolerance and forgiveness.

Aisha, a 17-year-old girl who was rescued from Boko Haram last year (pictured above), now attends these sessions:

“I feel better about my life after the workshop organised by the association. They made sure I understood that forgiveness was necessary. They have made me feel better about my situation. I can finally talk a bit about what it was like.”

The #FutureForOurGirls campaign aims to raise awareness about the breadth and complexity of issues facing victims like Aisha, and show that there is a critical need – and opportunity - to invest in these workshops to help rebuild lives after Boko Haram.