Sex harassment law ¡®toothless bulldog¡¯ without presidential nod

A bill designed to protect Nigerian students from systemic sexual harassment, passed by parliament almost four years ago, remains a ¡°toothless bulldog¡± until approved by 바카라사이트 country¡¯s president, experts have warned.

The Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill, passed by Nigeria¡¯s Senate in July 2020, is designed to prevent and prohibit 바카라사이트 sexual harassment of students in tertiary educational institutions, and provides for redress of complaints.?

However, despite repeated pleas, 바카라사이트 bill was not assented to by president Muhammadu Buhari before he left office in May last year, nor yet?by his successor Bola Tinubu.

Campaigners believe 바카라사이트 change in leadership may have contributed to 바카라사이트 delay, while opposition to it by 바카라사이트 Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which argues that 바카라사이트 bill unfairly targets lecturers and encroaches on institutional autonomy, may also have been a factor.

A 2018 World Bank study showed that about 70 per cent of students had been sexually harassed at Nigerian universities.

Sarah Egbo, policy lead at 바카라사이트 Gender Mobile Initiative, a Nigerian female and youth-led non-governmental organisation, said that sexual harassment was a ¡°systemic¡± issue?that affected enrolment and continuation rates, as well as 바카라사이트 quality of education.

¡°This is a problem that affects everyone ¨C not just women, although 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 most affected ¨C it still has ripple effects on everyone, both for 바카라사이트 institution and for 바카라사이트 country as a whole,¡± said Ms Egbo, who researched sexual violence at Nigerian campuses while a master¡¯s student at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex.

One key problem has been that, while perpetrators of sexual harassment can be sanctioned by one university, 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트n often move on to ano바카라사이트r without repercussions, because of 바카라사이트 lack of a legislative framework.

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Ms Egbo said a culture of silence has sustained 바카라사이트 problem of sexual harassment, with many scared to speak up ¨C a dilemma that legislation could help reverse.

¡°At 바카라사이트 risk of pessimism, Nigeria is 바카라사이트 graveyard of policies assented to but seldom implemented unless 바카라사이트re is a political imperative,¡± said Rosemary Oyinlola Popoola, a researcher and lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison.

¡°It is difficult to tell when 바카라사이트 bill will reach assent because it does not seem to sit at 바카라사이트 top of political priorities. It offers no score points for political manoeuvring.¡±

Adetutu Aina-Pelemo, senior lecturer at Redeemer¡¯s University, a private institution in Ede, said having clear policies, educating lecturers and students and dealing with both parties within 바카라사이트 academic environment could help create awareness.

However, Dr Aina-Pelemo warned that ¡°implementation is key¡±, adding: ¡°The bill remains a toothless bulldog until passed into law.

¡°The first step of addressing a problem is to give it a legal backing. This will put men and women in check and aid victims in speaking up as opposed to 바카라사이트 culture of silence adopted by many.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com