ICPC, gender activists, move against sexual harassment in schools

Towards ensuring a safe learning environment for the female gender in the country’s higher institutions, secondary and primary schools,

the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and gender activists have moved against sexual harassment, with a view to ending the menace.

The Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Aliyu (SAN), said that only consistent and unanimous campaigns could address the challenge and put an end to it.

Aliyu stated this while delivering an opening address at a national stakeholders engagement on sexual harassment and prevention (SESHAP) in tertiary institutions held in Abuja.

The event convened by Gender Mobile and the ICPC, was supported by the Ford Foundation.

Several stakeholders spoke at the event to address the issue, with a view to preferring solution.

They include the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, Minister of Women Affairs, Barr Uju-Kennedy-Ohanenye, the Director General National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Issa-Onilu, among others.

While giving an opening address at the programme, Aliyu noted that despite efforts by the Commission to curb sexual harassment, the menace persists in tertiary institutions and also rampant in primary and secondary schools.

The ICPC Chair added: “The programme underscores the need to encourage partnerships between the public and private sectors, especially civil society, to ensure that all hands are on deck to address the various societal ills, such as sexual harassment and other forms of gender discrimination, which, according to him, is threatening to tarnish the nation’s reputation.”

“Only a consistent, persistent, focused and united campaign can ensure that the challenge of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions is decisively addressed,” he added.

“A few years ago, the ICPC, in line with its commitment to addressing all forms of corruption, including abuse of office via sexual harassment, with the support of the Ford Foundation, executed a project aimed at curbing this societal malaise.

“One of the expected outcomes of that project was the drafting of model anti-sexual harassment policies for various levels of educational institutions.

“It is sadly interesting to note that sexual harassment, though more notorious in tertiary institutions, is quite rampant in primary and secondary institutions,

“The policies are not necessarily meant to be adopted. It is expected that although they may be adopted wholly by any institution that so desires, they should serve as guidelines for what a comprehensive policy should contain.

Aliyu therefore stressed that stakeholders active participation and engagement would make a significant difference in the fight against sexual harassment in tertiary institutions.

The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Sununu, in his keynote address described the event as a key aspect of the President Bola Tinubu’s eight points agenda, aimed at restoring the hope of Nigerians.

He noted that learning could not have a successful impact if institutions of learning were not conducive.

While pledging the ministry’s support against the scourge, Sununu hinted that it had also developed a strategy to fight it.

The Executive Lead, Gender Mobile Initiative, Omowumi Ogunrotimi, described gender harassment as highly-gender and power-centered.

“As organizations leverage technology to advance gender equality to eliminate gender and sexual based violence, we identified that point of convergence of collaboration with ICPC, design policy and fight the scourge together and rid it from our institutions and communities,”Ogunrotimi said.

A resource person and Professor of Law, Mrs Ayo Atsenuwa, stressed the need for urgent review of laws to end the menace.

Atsenuwa, the current Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, who was also a guest lecturer at the event, also advocated extensive studies to tame the menace.