US First Lady calls for release of Nigeria schoolgirls

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama on Saturday made a public appeal for the release ofnearly 300 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram, saying that their casehighlights global challenges to girls' education. Assuming the president’s weekly internet and radio address, the First Lady said sheand her husband President Barack Obama were “outraged and heartbroken” by themass abduction.“In these girls, Barack and I see our own daughters. We see their hopes, their dreams-- and we can only imagine the anguish their parents are feeling right now.” TheObamas have two daughters -- Sasha, 12, and Malia, 15.Boko Haram militants kidnapped an estimated 276 schoolgirls from the GovernmentGirls Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno State 26 days ago. The militant group is opposed to both western education and the schooling of women.Of the Nigerian schoolgirls, Mrs. Obama said, “These girls embody the best hope forthe future of our world...and we are committed to standing up for them not just intimes of tragedy or crisis, but for the long haul.”Mrs. Obama said that the kidnappings were an “unconscionable act” of “grown menattempting to snuff out the aspirations of young girls.”She further warned that what happened in Nigeria is not an isolated event. “It's astory we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue theirambitions.”Recalling the case of Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan for advocating for girls’ education, Mrs. Obama said that the struggle forgirls’ education waged by Malala and those like her “should serve as a call to action.Because right now, more than 65 million girls worldwide are not in school.”Earlier this week, the White House announced that U.S. President Barack Obamadirected the U.S. government to do everything it can to secure the rescue of theNigerian girls.On Tuesday, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan accepted a U.S. offer to supportNigeria’s rescue effort with an American interagency team of advisors from lawenforcement and the military.