A group of Nigerian students have registered their displeasure stating that the ‘Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Bill, 2019′ has not been passed by the National Assembly.
They believe that sexual harassment in schools is a major problem and that the current administration should take action to protect students’ dignity.
The students have petitioned the Deputy Senate President to help facilitate the passing of the Bill.
The statement reads, “It is, however, unfortunately, been long overlooked in terms of an enduring long-term solution. It is a great concern that this Bill has been abandoned and the current administration should do the needful to protect the dignity of students. We were worried that the Deputy Senate President has not been able to follow through with this very important bill.
“Reports show that the Presidency has not received this Bill. According to a 2018 World Bank Survey, 70 per cent of female graduates from Nigerian tertiary institutions had been sexually harassed in school.
“The Senate reintroduced the sexual harassment Bill in 2019 and later passed it. However, as of today, the National Assembly has failed to do the needful to transmit the Bill to Mr President. The implication of this is that if it’s not passed during this 9th Assembly, the Bill has to be reintroduced fresh during the 10th Assembly.
“The Senate at its plenary session of Tuesday, July 7 2020 passed the Sexual Harassment Bill, 2020 (SB 77) which seeks to prevent, prohibit and redress the sexual harassment of students in tertiary educational institutions. The Bill was sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in 2019 with 106 co-sponsors.”
The Bill was enacted to promote and protect ethical standards, the sanctity of the student-educator fiduciary relationship of authority, dependency and trust and respect for human dignity in tertiary educational institutions, by providing for the protection of students against sexual harassment by educators in tertiary educational institutions; prevention of sexual harassment of students by educators in tertiary educational institutions; and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment of students by educators in tertiary educational institutions.
