By Olawale Lamina
Critical stakeholders in the Anti-corruption crusade, Education, and Women Ministries converged in Abuja on Tuesday to proffer a solution to the menace of sexual abuse pervading the nation’s education sector.
At the parley, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, announced the approval of a new Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy for tertiary institutions, developed in collaboration with the Gender Mobile Initiative, meant to tackle sexual abuse in the country.
The ICPC Chairman announced the new initiative at a recent National Stakeholders Engagement on Sexual Harassment Prevention in Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja, assured of the commitment of the Commission to pursuing justice for victims of sexual harassment in Nigeria, while highlighting the need for collective efforts from all stakeholders to implement a Model Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy designed for various educational institutions.
Dr. Aliyu informed that the Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy for tertiary institutions, developed in collaboration with Gender Mobile Initiative had been approved for implementation by the Federal Ministry of Education.
He stated that the policy now represents a significant step toward in combating sexual harassment in the education sector.
Highlighting the benefits of the event, organized in partnership with the Gender Mobile Initiative and supported by the Ford Foundation, the ICPC boss explained that the event was aimed to address the societal issue of sexual crimes militating against Nigeria’s reputation.
He observed that while the focus is on tertiary institutions, the menace is also prevalent in basic and secondary educational institutions, adding that, “It is sadly interesting to note that sexual harassment, though more notorious in tertiary institutions, is quite rampant in basic and secondary institutions too,”
Also speaking at the event, the Honorable Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, corroborated the importance of developing policies that could help create a conducive learning environment for students and protect them from sexual abuse and harassment.
The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to working closely with stakeholders to achieve the set goal.
Similarly, the Honorable Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, expressed her willingness to collaborate with the ICPC to intensify efforts against sexual harassment and abuse of office.
The minister declared that, “Nigerians not only want perpetrators to be apprehended but also want them to be prosecuted to restore faith in the government and the justice system.”
In his own remark, Chairman of the House Committee on Civil Society, Honourable Victor Obuzor, called for a united front from all stakeholders to curb sexual harassment across all levels of education in Nigeria.
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