‘70% of female graduates ‘ve faced sexual harassment from lecturers’

Gender activists gathered in Abuja on Monday to demand expeditious presidential assent to the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institutions Bill 2019, which has since been passed by the National Assembly.

Describing the bill awaiting presidential approval as a “pressing national concern that demands immediate attention”, they said recent events underscore the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to address the prevailing sexual and gender-based violence against students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Speaking variously at a press conference organised by Gender Mobile, a non-governmental group working to break the silence on gender-based violence in Nigeria, the activists said it was time for the

Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institutions Bill was accorded a presidential assent.

They decried the increasing rate of sexual harassment in the nation’s tertiary education institutions, attributing the development to a lack of legal existing legal framework to curb the menace.

Speaking at the event, Omowumi Ogunrotimi, Lead Director, Gender Mobile, said there was an urgent need for a comprehensive legal framework that provides statutory backing to criminalize sexual harassment in higher education institutions.

Reading a prepared text at the event, she said: “As a collective, we stand at the forefront of a pressing national concern that demands immediate attention. Today, we bring forth a call for urgency, accountability, and transformative change in the face of pervasive sexual harassment and abuse of office on our campuses.

“In the wake of a global reckoning against sexual harassment, our nation is at a critical juncture that demands our collective action on the emergence of Nigerian tertiary institutions as hotspots for power-driven sexual harassment.

“The very institutions meant to foster education and personal growth have become breeding grounds for abuse, particularly affecting the lives of female students. The gravity of power-driven sexual harassment remains inadequately addressed, overshadowed by the stark reality highlighted in a 2018 survey by the World Bank Group’s Women, Business, and Law.”

According to her, “Alarming statistics reveal that 70% of female graduates from Nigerian tertiary institutions have been subjected to sexual harassment an epidemic proportion indicative of systemic and structural deficits.”

Noting that various initiatives have been set in motion by diverse actors to combat this scourge of sexual harassment, she said: “However, a critical void persists an urgent need for a comprehensive legal framework that provides statutory backing to criminalize sexual harassment in higher education institutions.

“The absence of a dedicated legal framework leaves a critical gap that must be filled to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of our collective efforts against sexual harassment.

“The Sexual Harassment Prohibition in Tertiary Education Institutions Bill presents a promising solution. This comprehensive legislation is crafted to address the nuances of sexual harassment, providing a clear definition of offenses, establishing stringent penalties for perpetrators, and outlining mechanisms for the prevention and redress of sexual harassment. Regrettably, despite the urgency of the matter, the Bill has lingered on the desk of the Nigerian President awaiting the seal of approval.

“This delay is disheartening and raises concerns about the commitment to eradicating sexual harassment within our educational institutions. The need for statutory backing is not just a formality, it is a fundamental requirement to ensure that the provisions of the Bill are legally enforceable and carry the necessary gravitas to effect real change.

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recently signed into law the Student Loan Bill, a commendable initiative aimed at facilitating students’ access to interest-free loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund. While this represents a positive step in supporting students financially, it is crucial to recognize that the effectiveness of such initiatives is compromised if the learning environment remains tainted by the pervasive issue of sexual harassment.

“The Student Loan Bill, in its essence, is a tool to empower students in their pursuit of education. However, the impact of this empowerment is diminished if the educational journey is marred by the trauma of sexual harassment. As such, the success of the Student Loan Bill is intrinsically tied to the broader initiative to eradicate sexual harassment in tertiary institutions,” she said.

The National Orientation Agency, speaking through its Deputy Director, Public Enlightenment and Mass Mobilisation, Mrs Esther Aku, threw its weight behind the group’s demand for expeditious presidential assent to the bill.

“We stand by you to demand for immediate president’s assent to the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institutions Bill. It is our belief that assent to this bill will end the sexual harassment our female students are being subjected to in the nation’s tertiary education institutions,” she said.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, speaking also through Rita Oki Emesim, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Gender, Force Headquarters, frowned at sexual harassment on campuses, saying he had always taken rape cases seriously.

Emesim said the police boss, given the importance he attaches to the issue, has directed that all universities in the country open Gender-Based Desks to report cases of sexual harassment with a view to assisting victims in getting justice.

The police boss, according to her, advocated increased and improved institutional response to gender-based violence