Gen-Cent in UNN, WACOL take sexual harassment campaign to UNEC

Gender Development and Policy Centre (Gen-Cent), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), in collaboration with Women Aid Collective (WACOL) has taken the campaign against sexual harassment in tertiary institutions to the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC).

Gen-Cent, which promotes gender research and policy matters, had in December last year launched the anti-sexual harassment campaign in UNN.

Speaking during the event held at the Main Hall of UNEC, the Director of Gen-Cent, Professor Anthonia Achike, urged students to speak out whenever they encounter sexual harassment, adding that her centre had experts who are poised to take up cases of sexual harassment and give justice to the victim.

She advised students to shun acts that predispose them to harassment, including moving in the company of people they trust and dressing decently.

According to her, one of the objectives of the sensitisation exercise is to articulate views that would guide the centre in developing policy on sexual harassment for the University of Nigeria.

“If you are not bold to report cases of sexual harassment, you are encouraging the act,” the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC), UNEC, Prof Edith Nwosu, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, told staff and students at the event.

She said the issue of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions had assumed a dangerous dimension and had attracted global attention.

Describing the menace as a cankerworm devastating human dignity, she urged staff and students to respect human dignity by exercising self-control.

The DVC commended Gen-Cent and WACOL for leading the campaign against sexual harassment in tertiary institutions, stating that the programme would give her staff and students the boldness to confront the issue.

The don said that with the university’s zero tolerance for sexual harassment, it would ensure that victims who speak out would be protected.

Dr. Obi Nnamuchi, who presented a paper on ‘Legal Issues in Sexual Harassment’ on behalf of the director of WACOL, stated that although Nigerian law did not specifically recognise sexual harassment, there were related provisions in the constitution that could be applied to bring justice to victims.

He urged students to break the silence on sexual harassment, as that was the only way of addressing the problem.

Fliers containing complaints hotlines of Gen-Cent and WACOL were distributed to staff and students at the event.