Mapping  Strategies to Tackle Challenges of Gender-based Violence, Sexual Harassment

In a bid to combat challenges of growing gender-based violence, especially sexual harassment in institutions of higher learning and other places, a feminist group, Alliance For Africa Initiatives, recently organised an intensive training for media representatives on the legal framework needed to tackle the menace. Blessing Ibunge reports

Sexual harassment has been described as an unwelcomed and inappropriate sexual remarks or physical advances in a workplace or other professional or social situation. In institutions of higher learning in Nigeria, sexual harassment facilitated by lecturers, also students has become a pandemic. 

This is followed by a 2018 World Bank survey which stated that 70 per cent of female graduates from Nigerian tertiary institutions had been sexually harassed in school by their fellow students and lecturers. 

A Nigeria study also found that 34.2 per cent of the 160 students surveyed disclosed that sexual violence was the most prevalent form of gender-based violence. Owing to the prevalence of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions across the country; in 2016, a former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and 57 other senators in the 8 National Assembly, introduced “Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institution Prohibition Bill”. Years after serious deliberation on the bill, perpetrators of sexual harassment are still moving freely in the society, some when accused influenced their way out of the hook of legal conviction.

Some cases of sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions

THISDAY gathered that in 2018, a court in Osun state, sentenced a university lecturer Richard Iyiola Akindele to two years in prison for sexual harassment. In 2019, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, announced the suspension of an associate professor, Monday Igbafen, over alleged sexual harassment of female students.

In February 2021, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, announced the suspension of a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology and Tourism, Dr Chigozie Odum, over alleged misconduct. In August, same year, the University of Port Harcourt announced the dismissal of a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature for sexual misconduct. Also, the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology suspended one of its lecturers, Mr Princewill Chikakpobi, for three months for allegedly sexually harassing a 100-level female student. While in January 2022, the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rivers State, announced the dismissal of a lecturer for harassing a female student.  

In as much as there were lecturers convicted of such nefarious act,  a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, in September 2023, discharged and acquitted a lecturer at the Rivers State University, Prof David Ogbonna, who was standing trial for alleged sexual assault of a 21-year-old female student. Ogbonna, a lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, was arraigned by the police on June 28, 2022, after being accused by one Miss Ndamatin of sexually assaulting her in his office. But the presiding Magistrate, Chief Magistrate Poromon Menenen, in his judgement said the prosecution team failed to prove that their client was sexually assaulted. It was also observed that the evidence claimed by the defendant was never presented in court and subsequently discharged and acquitted Prof Ogbonna.

There are so many instances of sexual harassments and pending cases at the court of law, either waiting trial or at the conclusion stage for verdict.

Steps taken by Institutions, Organisations and Others to tackle sexual harassment

Following the cry by students and parents seeking an end to the incessant sexual harassment of undergraduates in the tertiary institutions, including other gender based violence at homes and public places, organisations like, Alliance for Africa Initiatives, a feminist group operating in Nigeria has taken the lead to tackle the menace and bring back sanity to the learning facilities in the country. 

Other groups that are not relenting in the fight against the menace are Journalists For Christ (JFC), an Association for Christian Journalists and allied professionals, institutions have also joined in the battle, legal groups, especially FIDA, security operatives, media organisations, others.

Recently, AFAI established partnership with media organisations to tackle the menace of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions across the country. The group sealed the partnership at a One-day residential Consultation with  Media Executives in Nigeria, with the aim at addressing sexual harassment in the institutions, and subsequently trained and educated journalists on legal framework needed in addressing the menace.

The Executive Director of AFAI, Iheoma Obibi had during the engagement with media represteatives decried the negative effects of sexual abuse on the victims and survivors, including students, staff and the institutions at large. She remarked that the commitment of the media in the fight against the illicit act in the schools will sustained a better learning environment for the students.

At the training on legal framework in addressing sexual harassment, held in Abuja, the Programme Director of AFAI, Blessing Duru explained that the aim of the training was to address gender-based discrimination, the growing incidences and long-term impact of sexual harassment in the institutions.

Duru advocates for the adoption of gender studies as a general study course in Nigerian universities to promote women’s agency, participation, and representation in leadership. She noted the need for the policy that will foster foundational reorientation to bring changes in behaviour and responsiveness to issues  of  sexual harassment in the university.

Noting that over 60 per cent  of female students have reported experiencing sexual harassment during their time in tertiary institutions, Duru mentioned that the incidence of such harassment is now a pandemic in the society.

According to Duru, “This programme was formed based on the demand by students and parents particular, to begin to look at the issues around sexual harassment as a normalised acceptance practice within the school learning environment. The students felt that attention around addressing this issue not given to it. They also felt that the school system is not providing the support they need to protect them against this norm.

“The second thing is that we also recognise the importance of the media when it comes to creating awareness on issues that had to do with humanity and critical role that media plays in terms of education and contributory to behavioral change and mindset. 

“We decided that neither than build this in isolation, it is important we partner and collaborate with the media so that they can lend their expertise, support in amplifying this issue, so that people will know that the issue is actually a pandemic and needed urgent attention”.

A legal practitioner and facilitator at the media training, Mojirayo Ogunlana noted that the menace continue to expand because the society failed to recognize the legal framework that tackles such issue and could also facilitate its end in the institution environment.

Taking the participants journalists round the laws that prohibits such sexual harassment and other gender based violence, Ogunlana said the laws provided to tackle the challenges have not been well utilised, citing various human rights laws, she said government, institutions AND individuals are under obligations to respect, protect and fulfill human right.

Ogunlana who spoke on “Increasing understanding on the various relevant state, national, regional and international human rights frameworks”, insisted the need for Nigeria to sanitise its judiciary for the safety of the country. She also stated that journalists owe the right to the government to report accurate information as it relate to gender based issues.

The legal practitioner further listed some of the laws that tackles gender based violence to include: Common/Statutory law, Sharia, Customary law, Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP Act 2015), the Penal Code, Maputo Protocol, others.

Speaking with THISDAY at the training, Ogunlana said “The best way to tackle this issue of sexual harassment, first, we need people to speak out, more expository report on incidence. The media is in the best position to share more light, talk more about it. You need to sustain debate on the awareness so as to bring feasibility to the issue.

“The issue of OGBV was never given serious attention until the locked-up period in 2020 when people started coming out and talking, the day of silent has been completely shutout. I think with more feasibility, talking, the issue will be tackled. I know as journalists you operate in a very peculiar society. We are in a society that is very intolerant with journalists and there is obvious impunity”.   

Also at the training, a professor at the University of Abuja, Prof Razinat Mohammed expressed that “prior to this workshop, those of us who were not aware of the laws existing to protect victims or survivals and enhance the performances of journalists, I think they have been made clearer to some of us during this two days’ workshop. So it is very important that we are leaving the workshop armed with sufficient knowledge of the legal framework in Nigeria that will cover up for some of these things”.

She continued that “most journalists in Nigeria have been operating in void without knowing that they have right to pursue cases to their logical conclusions. Every person that were part of this workshop are fully armed with legal knowledge and better educated on steps to be taken to protect society from the continuous occurrences of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions”.

THISDAY reported that participants at the meeting observed that individuals who head the gender units of most tertiary institutions have significant knowledge gaps in addressing sexual harassment without personal bias, are oblivious to the essence of their office and the power they have.

Also, that the survivors and stakeholders, including academic staff and media personnels who report sexual harassment lack protection from retaliation, while National and sub-national policies that addresses sexual  harassment are selectively applied or implemented.  

Mr Ejime Udueme, Assistant Manager on News, Delta Broadcasting Service, Radio/Television, Asaba, at the AFAI training, said “The opportunity is one in a lifetime, especially the legal aspect in area of sexual harassment. Now that I have been equipped, I will go home and extend same information, knowledge to the people under me or higher, who have not been trained on this type of issue that we have adequately dealt with. Is a noble task, that AFA has embarked on this project to eliminate this menace of sexual harassment from the system. We hope that the desired change is brought into our society, because whether we like it not Nigeria is our home, we must make the society better than we met it so that generation yet unborn will appreciate our impact”.

Ensuing elimination of the sexual harassment, the University of Port Harcourt, taking the lead among universities, had launched the institution’s Sexual Harassment Policy in October 2019. And just last week, the Commissioner of Police,  Imo State Command, Aboki Danjuma affirmed that the Imo State Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law 2021, would significantly contribute to combating violence and protecting the rights of individuals across the state.

Danjuma who made the assertion during the kickoff of a one-day statewide training on the VAPP Law 2021, held on August 30, 2024, in Owerri,  organised by the Alliance for Africa Initiative, expressed gratitude to the group for organising the training. He highlighted that the workshop would significantly improve officers’ understanding of the State VAPP Law 2021, leading to more effective implementation and enhanced service delivery.

AFAI Executive Director Mrs. Iheoma Obibi commended the VAPP Law as a significant step in combating violence and safeguarding rights in Imo State. She emphasised that the training was intended to improve officers’ effectiveness in managing GBV cases.

Quote 

The best way to tackle this issue of sexual harassment, first, we need people to speak out, more expository report on incidence. The media is in the best position to share more light, talk more about it. You need to sustain debate on the awareness so as to bring feasibility to the issue