Int'l women judges body condemns abduction of Nigerian school girls

The International Women Judges Association (IAWJ) on Thursday condemned the recent abduction of Nigerian schoolgirls by Boko Haram, appealing the international community to take practical actions in addressing the vice.

"Those girls are innocent, as women judges we condemn this barbaric incident. The children are denied access to basic rights like education and freedom," said Eunice Munuo, the former IAWJ President.

The retired Tanzanian Judge was speaking in Arusha at the end of the five-day 12th biennial conference, which kick-started on Monday, this week.

Munuo said IAWJ is very concerned with what happened to those school girls, calling the perpetuators to stop from doing the vice.

Three weeks ago more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Islamic extremists in Chibok, Nigeria, a town in the north-eastern part of the country and 276 girls are still missing.

The girls were taken in the dark of night from their dormitory when armed men burst into the Chibok Government Girls Secondary School.

Second Vice President of Zanzibar Seif Ally Idd also joined hands with women judges, saying what is happening in Nigeria shouldn't be tolerated anymore.

Idd said the Nigerian abductions should be condemned by the entire world and "this is a sign that women and children are still victims of gender-based violence across the world and Africa at large."

Idd urged women judges to take practical actions in saving the anguishing women from such barbaric experiences.

During the meeting Teresita Leonardo De Castro from Thailand was elected as the new IAWJ President, who replaces her Tanzanian counterpart Eusebia Munuo.

The next IAWJ meeting will be held in the United States in 2016.