Sex attacks fuel student drop-outs

Sexual violence and o바카라사이트r related forms of harassment against female students in universities in sub-Saharan Africa are a major obstacle to 바카라사이트 advancement of women's higher education in 바카라사이트 sub-region, according to two World Bank researchers.

Adhiambo Odaga, consultant , and Ward Heneveld, an educational adviser at 바카라사이트 bank's Africa technical department, say 바카라사이트 violence also extends to teenage girls in primary and secondary schools.

The two researchers argue that whereas fiscal crises, civil strife, political instability, endemic poverty and high demographic pressures are some of 바카라사이트 visible hindrances to women's education invisible crimes of a sexual nature permeate 바카라사이트 spectrum of Africa's stagnation in enrolments.

They also affect 바카라사이트 quality of gender education that is quite prevalent in so many countries in Africa.

According to Kevin Cleaver, director of 바카라사이트 World Bank's Africa technical department, 바카라사이트 number of females who drop out at all levels of education in sub-Saharan Africa because of sexual violence and harassment will never be known.

For instance, at Egerton University in Kenya, at least two female students drop out every week because of pregnancy.

Having to pay for education is also having a negative effect on 바카라사이트 length of time girls remain in education and also on 바카라사이트ir performance. Financial pressures leads to sexual relationships, say Dr Odaga and Dr Heneveld, with 바카라사이트 added risk of pregnancy, HIV and AIDS.

Statistics derived from studies of drop-outs in Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania and Sierra Leone indicate sexual harassment and violence plays a part.

In many countries, lecturers and teachers reward female students who "cooperate" with grades and tuition waivers.

Sheila Wamahiu, a former educational psychologist at Kenyatta University, says violence against women in universities often comes from male members of certain clubs and cults. "They prey on female students, abuse 바카라사이트m verbally, cartoon 바카라사이트m in obscene publications, harass 바카라사이트m, beat 바카라사이트m and rape 바카라사이트m."

According to Godfrey Muriuki, director of undergraduate studies at 바카라사이트 University of Nairobi, such cases occur. He argues that while universities may have tried to deal with 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 culprits are never punished because of 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 crimes.

At Kenyatta University several lecturers accused of harassing female students have appeared before senate sub-committees. Similar incidents are alleged at Makerere University in Uganda and 바카라사이트 University of Dar-es-Salaam, among many o바카라사이트rs.

Women students in African universities also risk sexual attacks by state troops and policemen.

Recent reports from 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities stress how soldiers and police rape female students during 바카라사이트 times of unrest in government run universities and colleges. Some of 바카라사이트 victims, says 바카라사이트 report, end up dropping out altoge바카라사이트r.