A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO),聽Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), has brought its anti-sexual harassment crusade to the headquarters of the聽水果派 of Nigeria (NOUN)聽with the aim of further spreading awareness on the menace.
YAF said the focal point of its visit to the university was to bring to fore the聽incessant and never-ending issue of on-campus sexual harassment of female students and for the university to establish an independent sexual harassment committee.
They were welcomed and received by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration,聽Prof.聽Isaac Butswat聽on behalf of the聽Vice-Chancellor,聽Prof.聽Olufemi.
Speaking during the visit,聽the spokesperson聽of the visiting group,聽Mr. David Inuenwi,聽explained聽the聽foundation鈥檚 Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy聽Cluster as a聽consortium of different civil society organisations with the singular aim of addressing the prevalence of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
He stated聽that while tertiary institutions were established to aid desirable learning and working environments for both students and lecturers without the fear of intimidation,聽the reality on ground paints a more grim picture.
This, Inuenwi added, was聽disturbing that聽it聽happens in environments that are supposed to be moulding聽and filtering grounds for building virile leaders and intellectuals who will one day lead the affairs of the country.
While going down memory lane, he said聽a 2018 survey by the World Bank Group’s Women Business and Law revealed that 70 percent of female graduates from Nigerian tertiary institutions were victims of sexual harassment in school with the main perpetrators being classmates and lecturers.
Consequently, the foundation implored NOUN to take the cause seriously and,聽if possible,聽should create the anti sexual harassment committee to work hand-in-hand with them to create a more safe and conducive university experience for female students.
Responding,聽Prof.聽Butswat聽commended聽the聽foundation for working tirelessly to stop the menace聽and expressed his happiness聽that it was young people taking the lead to put an end to a sad situation that has聽unfortunately聽become聽normalised in a lot of Nigerian tertiary institutions .
He assured them that the university would definitely start the process of creating an anti-sexual harassment committee, saying聽that NOUN was always ready to put in the work and establish partnerships with any organization that brought about a smoother and more sane experience for its students.
The DVC added聽that cases of sexual harassment in the university were none or next to zero as the university was mostly an online institution and the school has tried hard in restricting lecturer/student interactions to the bare minimum unless where it is really necessary.
Butswat also聽informed the visitors that the university’s doors were always open to the foundation and that the school聽has聽pledged its utmost support so as to put an end to the plague.