NEWARK, NJ - On the eve of Mother's Day, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), international human rights and trafficking experts, and local community leaders to discuss the kidnappings of hundreds of schoolgirls in Nigeria, ending human trafficking and crimes against women and girls, and fighting for equal treatment and opportunity for young women across the world.

"I had planned to come here today, on the eve of Mother's Day, to talk about economic opportunities for women and investing in our future female leaders, and then hundreds of Nigerian girls were abducted from their schools - stolen in the night by a terrorist group whose very name -- Boko Haram -- means "Education is Forbidden," said Sen. Menendez in a press conference before a private roundtable discussion. "But rather than talking about what matters so much to every woman - a good education leading to a good job that will help them build a better life for themselves and their families - I feel compelled to turn attention to the mothers in Nigeria who sent their girls to school to learn and today are hoping for nothing more than to bring their daughters home."

As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, earlier this week, Menendez wrote to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan calling on him to demonstrate leadership and to work closely with the United States and partners in the international community to determine what assistance is needed right now. He also co-sponsored a resolution that passed the Senate that condemns these atrocious attacks, asserts the right of girls everywhere to an education, and calls for timely international assistance to Nigeria to help with the rescue effort. And yesterday, he introduced the International Violence Against Women Act which makes clear that combating violence against women and girls must be a top U.S. foreign policy priority which we are required to lead.

"I believe in economic empowerment not just as the centerpiece of our domestic policy but American foreign policy," Menendez continued. "I believe in gender equality and investing in women and girls as part of our shared economic goals of prosperity, stability, and peace. And I believe that we must do everything in our power to end trafficking and bring traffickers, wherever they are, to justice."

Menendez applauded the fact that a team of United States experts arrived in Nigeria to assist in searching for the girls and underscored that the U.S. must be vigilant in combating these heinous crimes wherever they occur, including in New Jersey.

"I'm pleased the United States is offering assistance in finding these girls as soon as possible. We must remain committed to ensuring such crimes cannot be perpetuated elsewhere in the world or here at home."

Menendez was joined by the following New Jersey experts and community leaders for a private roundtable discussion:

  • Dr. Ousseina Alidou, Director, Rutgers Center for African Studies
  • Asst. State Attorney General Tracy M. Thompson, Chair, New Jersey Human Trafficking Task Force
  • Mohamed El Filali, Executive Director, CAIR-NJ
  • Aida Marcial, International Human Trafficking Investigator
  • Yetunde A. Odugbesan-Omede, Nigerian-American humanitarian from Newark
  • Meryl Frank, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (Ret.)
  • Mayor Wayne Smith, Irvington
  • Hon. Okems Innocent Okemezie, Newark African Commission
  • Rev. Dr. Gregory Jackson, Hackensack
  • Sarah McDonald and Sophia Seidenberg, Juniors at Montclair High School and members of Girls Learn International
  • Kuae Kelch Mattox, National President of Mocha Moms, Inc. from Montclair
  • Melanie Roth Gorelick, Director Community Relations Committee, Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ

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