Nelson Mandela's widow Graca Machel is
meeting some of the parents of the 219 girls
abducted by Islamist Boko Haram militants
last year.
The meeting in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, is to
support the parents as they deal with the trauma
caused by the abductions.
Seventeen of the girls' parents have died since
their abduction.
The kidnap of the girls from a school in Chibok
sparked global outrage.
In May last year, Mrs Machel, a prominent child
rights campaigner, sent a message of
encouragement to the Chibok parents and urged
the Nigerian authorities to do more to free the
girls.
The Nigerian army has rescued hundreds of
hostages from Boko Haram, but none of the
kidnapped schoolgirls have been found.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office in
May, has given the military a mid-November
deadline to defeat the militants.
With the support of neighbouring countries,
Nigeria has recaptured most of the towns
previously under Boko Haram control but the
group still carries out frequent attacks, especially
in Borno State, which includes Chibok.
The Chibok schoolgirls have not been seen since
last May when Boko Haram released a video of
around 130 of them gathered together, reciting
the Koran.
Some of those who were kidnapped have since
been forced to join the militant group.
Amnesty International estimates that at least
2,000 women and girls have been abducted by
Boko Haram since the start of 2014.
Boko Haram at a glance:
Founded in 2002, initially focused on opposing
Western-style education - Boko Haram means
"Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa
language
Launched military operations in 2009
Joined Islamic State, now calls itself "West
African province"
Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern
Nigeria, abducted hundreds, including at least
200 schoolgirls
Seized large area in north-east, where it
declared caliphate
Regional force has retaken most territory this
year
meeting some of the parents of the 219 girls
abducted by Islamist Boko Haram militants
last year.
The meeting in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, is to
support the parents as they deal with the trauma
caused by the abductions.
Seventeen of the girls' parents have died since
their abduction.
The kidnap of the girls from a school in Chibok
sparked global outrage.
In May last year, Mrs Machel, a prominent child
rights campaigner, sent a message of
encouragement to the Chibok parents and urged
the Nigerian authorities to do more to free the
girls.
The Nigerian army has rescued hundreds of
hostages from Boko Haram, but none of the
kidnapped schoolgirls have been found.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office in
May, has given the military a mid-November
deadline to defeat the militants.
With the support of neighbouring countries,
Nigeria has recaptured most of the towns
previously under Boko Haram control but the
group still carries out frequent attacks, especially
in Borno State, which includes Chibok.
The Chibok schoolgirls have not been seen since
last May when Boko Haram released a video of
around 130 of them gathered together, reciting
the Koran.
Some of those who were kidnapped have since
been forced to join the militant group.
Amnesty International estimates that at least
2,000 women and girls have been abducted by
Boko Haram since the start of 2014.
Boko Haram at a glance:
Founded in 2002, initially focused on opposing
Western-style education - Boko Haram means
"Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa
language
Launched military operations in 2009
Joined Islamic State, now calls itself "West
African province"
Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern
Nigeria, abducted hundreds, including at least
200 schoolgirls
Seized large area in north-east, where it
declared caliphate
Regional force has retaken most territory this
year