<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#990000" vlink="#990000"><div class=WordSection1>Veritas is sending this appeal out to support the world campaign for the recovery of the school girls abducted in Nigeria and for preventing such heinous crimes in the future.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>On Behalf Of Equality Now #BringBackOurGirls<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='background:black'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:5.0pt 5.0pt 5.0pt 5.0pt'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'></td></tr><tr><td style='border:none;border-top:solid #333333 1.0pt;background:black;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><img width=600 height=150 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6208/images/EN_blk_bkgrd.png" alt="Equality Now"><o:p></o:p></td></tr></table><o:p> </o:p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=402 style='width:301.5pt;background:white'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:5.0pt 5.0pt 5.0pt 5.0pt'><![if !vml]><a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KZ5GeAojmQgeklKv7ielrUYgA291kdAu"><img border=0 width=300 height=300 src="http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6208/images/bringbackourgirls.jpg" align=left hspace=10 vspace=10 alt="http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/6208/images/bringbackourgirls.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"></a><![endif]> “Girls are our future. Extremists know this and want to deprive the world of the hope adolescent girls embody. This is not only about Nigeria – it is about protecting the rights of every girl, everywhere to reach her fullest potential without the threat of violence.” -Equality Now It’s been four weeks since armed attackers stormed a school dormitory in Chibok, northern Nigeria and abducted <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KAzSxd77%2FyOdxyGGNZpfM0YgA291kdAu">nearly 300 girls</a>—most of whom have not been seen since and are feared to have been sold into sexual slavery in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. Since then it was reported that eight more girls between the ages of 12 and 15 were <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xIWrDMV%2BRLxaMw8lsnOgCEYgA291kdAu">abducted from Warabe</a> in north eastern Nigeria. In a video message the Islamist militant group Boko Haram is said to have officially <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=NIRYrwBaA78U6Dy1zWuqXEYgA291kdAu">claimed responsibility</a>, stating: “Western education should end. Girls, you should go and get married…I will sell them in the market.” For weeks, activists within Nigeria and around the world have taken to the streets and social media to protest the Nigerian government’s sorely lacking efforts to locate the girls and prosecute their abductors, and the slow response of mainstream media to cover the situation.. Equality Now is actively working with our Nigerian partners, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and Alliance for Africa (AFA), on legal strategies to use and are contacting Nigerian and Cameroon embassies to find out exactly what their countries are doing on this issue. WRAPA, AFA and other organizations are extremely concerned that these abductions will continue until Nigeria prioritizes and takes action to protect the safety and rights of girls and women who are increasingly vulnerable in conflict regions. Gender-based violence in Nigeria is on the rise and similar abductions have occurred in the past. We need your help to keep up the pressure on the Nigerian government to take immediate action to locate and rescue the missing schoolgirls, prosecute those responsible for their abduction and exploitation, and to take measures to protect the safety and human rights of girls throughout the country. Here are three steps you can take today in the campaign to #BringBackOurGirls: 1. Post daily on your social media networks to keep up the pressure using the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Social media has been leading the charge to focus the world’s attention on the plight of the schoolgirls, directly leading to increased mainstream press coverage and responses from government officials and international organizations around the world. Keep up on breaking news & developments on Twitter (follow <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=l6GP3Q6LNyfJQ5jkd7R5CUYgA291kdAu">@equalitynow</a> and the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls) and Facebook (<a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OIX6NQT34Ez1T%2B2GeVqzp0YgA291kdAu"> facebook.com/equalitynoworg</a>.) Please retweet, share, and like our posts to spread the word & keep up the pressure on decision makers! You can start by clicking on the image at the top of this email & sharing it on Facebook. 2. Contact representatives in your government and ask them to put pressure on the Nigerian government to take immediate action to rescue the girls, prosecute those who are responsible and provide support services for the girls once they are rescued. 3. Equality Now will be releasing an Action soon targeting officials we feel have the authority and ability to rescue the girls. As soon as it hits your inbox or you see it on our <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WjOQnep6l%2FvPG4X3uH0%2F%2BUYgA291kdAu">Twitter</a> or <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4LYgP9e679tUWTyDSMFnBEYgA291kdAu">Facebook</a> pages, sign it! In the meantime, if you haven’t already done so, <a href="http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=7YGxWvwaKOimSaK8lZ8L%2FH8QsQzS8Pzt"> please sign Nigerian student Ify E.’s change.org petition</a> calling on world leaders to support all efforts to ensure the girls’ safe return. Together we can #BringBackOurGirls. In solidarity, Yasmeen Hassan & Faiza Jama Mohamed Global Director   |  Nairobi Office Director<o:p></o:p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='border:none;border-top:solid white 4.5pt;background:#FFFFCC;padding:5.0pt 5.0pt 5.0pt 5.0pt'></td></tr></table><o:p></o:p></td></tr></table><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=1 width="100%" noshade style='color:#A0A0A0' align=center></div><img border=0 width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1027" src="/etc/MailScanner/1x1spacer.gif" alt="Web Bug from http://org2.salsalabs.com/dia/TrackImage?key=2092805920"><o:p></o:p></div></body></html>