Advocates Seek Criminalization Of Sexual Harrassment Across Board

Reproductive health advocates and other stakeholders that were participants in the webinar series organized by the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN) have called for the criminalization of sexual harassment in all sectors of society.

Making the call, the Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, FCT Chapter, Barrister Hauwa Shekarau asserted that beyond the higher institutions of learning, sexual harassment has eaten deep into the fabric of society.

While acknowledging the National Assembly for deliberating on the sexual harassment bill, Shekarau who  was guest speaker at the webinar, argued that the scope of the bill should be expanded to cover sexual harassment in the workplace and society at large.

She argued that sexual harassment used to be difficult to prove but now, in the age of the GSM and Social Media, it has become possible to have evidence to present at the law court. 

The bill which was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege got  the support of the Nigerian Senators .

 Shekarau said the bill  promotes the sanctity of the educational institutions and protects the students and empowers them to report  casesscases of harassment.

 She called for the  criminalization of sexual harassment across board in the interest of the students, lecturers and the educational institutions as a whole.

The NBA Chair lamented that morals and professional ethics have been compromised as a result of the increase in sexual harassment cases in the institutions of higher learning and urged journalists to speak out to ensure justice.

Also speaking , the Founder/Executive Director, WARDC, Dr Abiola Abiola- Afolabi said that the law is not targeting anybody in particular but wast intended to protect the dignity and integrity of the higher institutions of learning.

She remarked that ASUU is standing on the wrong side of history and that the law is not particularly attacking anyone as sex under any guise is not justifiable under the law.

Abiola emphasized that  there should be checks and balances while setting up independent committees and advised that a formal letter should be written to schools as soon as the law is out advocating for lecturers not to supervise their wives or relations to avoid putting them in a  difficult situation.

But in a reaction, President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Abiodun Ogunyemi kicked against the sexual harassment bill which he said was targeted at lecturers.

Ogunyemi, in his argument, avowed that lecturers were not against the bill, rather they were uncomfortable with the scope. 

He said the bill had undertones of stigmatization while putting lecturers in a tight corner.

Contributing , Davida Oyekunmi,a student recalled her experience and said  trauma students go through is much to put them off and they go through  a lot of health issues after being abused saying that she is against the independent committee as students will not get justice.

She advocates that there should be stronger structure where students can report ,

confidentially .