Correspondent from BBC gave an update about the status of the girls.  He did mention that kidnappings have been happening for several years, but it has not been given international attention. President of Nigeria has been slow to act or make statements.

Northern Nigeria has only 3% of girls going to University.  Unusual for parents to make decision to keep girls in school and go on to University. High percentage of women die in childbirth 650 of 100,000 die in childbirth.  Impacts these families but also other families and whether they will send their children, especially girls to school.  Boys sent to study under clerics become the men in the militant groups, not taught in western education themselves.  Radicals are imposing their ideas through violence since the mainstream culture does not approve of this or back their thinking.

Gretel from A World at School, said it has taken 3 weeks to get this amount of interest internationally.  Social media has been one way that news of this has become more known. Getting the media attention has worked through the various digital advocay efforts.  Partnering among organizations has given stronger position to those attending Nigerian event to ask President for more to be done.

Meredith at Smart Girls gave advice for what we can do locally. Show that we care as a unified voice, sign a petition, write elected politicians, changing avatar on-line.  Protests happening in various cities around US have helped the Nigerians that are protesting to give more pressure to their government.  Plannig rallies is a great way to participate.

“World is agitating along with us” – from Hafsat, Nigerian source.

Tara from Girl Rising  shared that they have develpoed an action pack  with ways we can contribute.  Individual acts make a difference.  Continue to share the story and keep visibility high.  Raise awareness. Change.org has petition and they want 1 million signatures to give to Nigerian President. https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/over-200-girls-are-missing-in-nigeria-please-help-find-them-bringbackourgirls

Contributions to organizations like Catapult crowdsourcing funding for education issues in Nigeria.http://www.catapult.org/project/bring-back-our-girls

Comments can be made at this phone number at the White House 1-202-456-1111

You can text BRINGBACK to 50555 to donate $10 to girls education in Nigeria and worldwide

Importance of education for young women has an impact and is why these militants are acting against it.  Women who are educated improve the community and reinvest their earnings back into their communities. Huge potential is lost when girls are not allowed to be educated

Holly Gordon quote, “When you educate girls, you lift the fortunes of her family and her community and her country. Including the fortunes of boys and men! We need the strong men in communities to support girls – their mothers and their daughters. ”

“Nigerian government has ignored the needs of women and girls in the past and this attention has changed that, so it has already made a difference”, Hafsat from Nigeria. We need to keep this issue on social media and bring back our girls!

I want to thank Beck Andre for sending this excellent article ” How to Get Girls to Choose, and Stick With, STEM Careers: A Future Tense Event Recap“.  The article covers a lot of ground and gives some rationale for why we aren’t seeing the numbers of women in STEM careers you might expect.

The fact that we have a leaky pipeline means we see girls and women dropping out at all levels; from elementary school where it’s not cool to like Math to academics at institutions that want to have careers and families.

See if you can relate to any of the stories in this article or share your story in our comments section.

As we wrap up Women’s History month, take a look at these pictures of the pioneers of women in technology.

Which picture do you find the most compelling?  Share your story too.

Women of Congress Promote STEM Education, Careers
The women of Congress are working to empower young women to see themselves in STEM
careers. The congresswomen joined leaders from businesses, nonprofits, and global corporations
for a luncheon Wednesday hosted by the nonpartisan Million Women Mentors (MWM). The
almost 150 people in attendance dined together to celebrate MWM’s efforts to promote
mentoring young women in STEM fields.

STEM careers are the fastest-growing jobs in the United States, yet women make up only a
quarter of STEM workers.

To bridge the gender gap and bolster the U.S. labor force, female leaders say young girls need to
see STEM careers as an option through mentorships and exciting hands-on education.
“When you give a girl a chance to build a robot when she’s 5 or build a rocket when she’s 10,
she will have the inspiration and the know-how to become interested in those fields and see her
future in those fields,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Representatives Debbie
Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Kay Granger (R-TX) are trying to do just that. The day after the
luncheon, the lawmakers introduced HR 4161, the 21st Century STEM for Underrepresented
Students Act.

The legislation would use grants from the National Science Foundation to fund research on
STEM programs that work to engage elementary- and middle-school students who are typically
underrepresented in STEM fields. “High school and college are often too late to expose students
to STEM. That effort must start earlier, and target underrepresented students such as girls, people
of color, and those who have historically faced economic or other barriers to STEM
achievement,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement to CQ Roll Call. (From B. Bowman, Roll
Call, March 7, 2014)