Lukman Abdulmalik
The Center for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CAJA), with support from the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund, organized a stakeholders meeting to develop strategies to address the prevalence of sexual harassment in educational institutions.
The event, which was held on Tuesday at the Aminu Kano Center for Democratic Research and Training (Mambayya House), attracted representatives from educational institutions, Civil Society Organizations, Lawyers, Traditional and Religious Leaders, and Students.
In a paper presentation by a legal practitioner, Barrister Maryam Ahmad Abubakar explained that sexual harassment can be an act of any unwelcome sexual behavior being it verbal, physical, or psychological, that creates a hostile learning environment.
She emphasized the need to enlighten both staff and students on boundaries, citing the importance of moral and religious teachings in reducing such cases.
The strategies for reducing sexual harassment in schools proposed by stakeholders at the meeting include, but are not limited to, enforcing strict penalties, revising admission and employment ages, and integrating moral instruction into general studies curricula.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Kabiru Sa’id Dakata, the Executive Director of CAJA, highlighted that the event is a roundtable meeting to discuss the menace of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions and also policies around it.
“We are going to conduct advocacy at some educational institutions and are trying to make them have effective policies against sexual harassment.
“CAJA will also develop materials for campaigns, like stickers, flyers, t-shirts, face caps, and what have you, for campaigns on the issue.
“More relevant stakeholders at all levels, including government officials, will be further engaged to fight against sexual harassment.
“However, apart from creating awareness that we have been doing, this project will also focus on the internal policies in our tertiary institutions.”
He disclosed that one of the concerns of some stakeholders is that sexual harassment is not only at tertiary institutions, it also takes place at secondary and even primary schools.
“So we are going to engage secondary school students so they can be aware of it and take preventive measures.”
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Student Matters, Ibrahim Ma’ajiyi Sumaila, said the state government is aware and ready to address sexual harassment at all levels.
“Kano as an Islamic state, will punish anybody caught with the offense of sexual harassment against any child,” he stated.
Sumaila assured CAJA that the Kano state government will give full support in the advocacy to end sexual harassment in tertiary institutions.
