A Non-profit organisation, Stand to End Rape (STER) has partnered with two Nigerian universities to quell recurring cases of sexual violence in tertiary institutions.
This move is sequel to reports of sexual harassment of female students by staff of academic institutions.
One of such reports done by the BBC spotlighted the issue on #SexforGrades.
As a result, STER collaborated with Baze University, Abuja and River State University to introduce reforms in this regard in their institution and provide punitive measures for erring staff, according to a statement issued by STER’s communications officer, Elfrida Adeleye, on Friday.
Ms Adeleye noted that four years after the BBC report, there’s been “little to no tangible result has been produced” which is why they (STER) launched the GirlLead Project.
The project, supported by IVLP grant, produced and distributed educational tools and printable IEC materials in the two institutions of higher learning in Nigeria to teach Nigerian women and girls actionable steps to take after experiencing an incidence of sexual violence, Ms Adeleye said.
The group also presented a survey of SGBV responses from the students to the management which would help inform policy changes and influence programming at both the institutions.
“STER’s survivor forms were also shared with students to report any case of sexual violence they have faced in order to provide them with any support they may need”, she added.
Recall that the federal legislators in the Senate and House of Representatives passed the Sexual Harassment bill although after an initial rejection by the House of Representatives because they wanted other spheres of society like the workplace and religious institutions etc. included with academic institutions.
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The bill was introduced to prevent, prohibit and redress sexual harassment of students in tertiary educational institutions.
But President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to assent to the bill despite calls made by some civil society groups to sign the bill into law in September 2022.
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