… Want bill on sexual harassment passed into law
As part of efforts to end Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in higher institutions, leaders of Students Union Governments (SUG) of various institutions across Niger state have been tasked to work with their school authorities.
This is as the National Assembly was urged to help give women and students a sense of belonging by passing the bill on sexual harassment into law.
Making this call, Gender Based Violence (GBV) Desk Officer of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hafsat Kusherki said there is the need for leadership of the Students Union Governments (SUG) to sensitise their co-students in the need to speak out and report any form of violence.
Speaking during a one day training organized for selected student union (SUG) leaders across 5 selected higher institutions on survivor demand for Justice and Accountability by Global Promoters for Community Initiative (GPCI) in Niger state, she said the whole idea is to strengthen women, students and Institutions’ voices, women’s rights and ending violence against women and girls in Niger state.
Earlier, the Project Coordinator, GPCI, Olasukanmi Kalejaiye called on the National Assembly to help to give women and students a sense of belonging by passing the bill on sexual harassment into law.
Accordingly, he said they should pass the bill for an Act to prevent, prohibit and redress sexual harassment in tertiary education and institutions and for matters connected therein.
He also called on the Niger state government to pass into law the Gender Equal Opportunity Law and establish a commission for People with Disability.
Also, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Hajara Achibi said “one of the objectives of the training is to increase knowledge of the detrimental effects that harmful behaviours, stereotypes and Gender Based Violence (GBV) have in survivors, the community and the part that individuals and communities can play in preventing GBV.
The Student leaders who were drawn from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Standard College of Nursing Science, College of Education, Minna and Al-Asas College of Health Technology, Minna called for a step down training in their various institutions so as to enable students and victims of sexual and gender based violence to speak up and report to the appropriate channels.