From: Kemi Yesufu, Abuja

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has welcomed the release of an additional 82 Chibok girls who were abducted by the Boko Haram group, assuring it was on standby to provide emergency reproductive health care, psychosocial counseling and other critical support to the girls.

The UN agency in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, has provided support for women and girls who are survivors of sexual and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

Since the insurgency in the North-East , 6 in 10 girls are reported to have experienced a form of gender-based violence and many of the victims have limited access to sexual and reproductive health care.

According to a statement issued by UNPFA Nigeria Country Office, Communications Officer, Lolade Johnson‎, for the newly rescued Chibok girls, an emergency team of psychosocial counsellors and health professionals have been deployed to assist with the profiling of the girls, so their critical needs can be met.

This as a special package of toiletries  called the Dignity Kits, consisting of culturally appropriate attire and intimate hygiene supplies, have been procured and will be distributed to help restore the dignity of the girls.

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The newly-released girls will also be part of a similar rehabilitation programme that was set-up for the 21 Chibok girls who were released in October 2016.

The statement read in part:  “The programme is tailor-made to meet each girl’s specific needs of counseling, to help overcome the trauma endured after being held under captivity for more than three years.

“The programme includes among others; access to quality education to bridge the learning gap created during the abduction, access to reproductive health care for their sexual well-being and rehabilitation support, and a skills-acquisition programme to ease their re-integration into their society”.

UNFPA and partners have provided direct prevention and response services to 200,000 women and girl survivors or at risk of GBV through its ‘safe spaces’ and community outreach.

More than 3.5 million survivors have been provided with sexual and reproductive health care services, psychosocial support and counseling.