A call has gone out to the president to as a matter of urgency give assent to the sexual harassment Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institutions Bill 2019, which has since been passed by the National Assembly.
The call was made by gender activists who describe 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 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.
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.”
“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.
