A Civil Society Organisation, Connected Development, (CODE) says it has developed a draft bill to end sexual harassment in primary, secondary and tertiary schools in Awka Ibom State, in collaboration with the state Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Unit.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong during the weekend, the State Lead of CODE, Mr Ubong Ekpe, noted that the organisation came up with the bill following the high rate of sexual molestation and violence in not just the tertiary institutions but in both primary and secondary schools in the state.
He explained that the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill (2023), that is now awaiting President Bola Tinubu’s assent focused on tertiary educational institutions, adding that the bill could be expanded to accommodate sexual harassment in secondary and primary schools.
Ekpe further explained that from investigations, some teachers, and even NYSC members, are involved in sexual harassment, noting that a 47 year old man was arrested last week for sexually harassing a student in one of the schools he visited for advocacy in the state.
He, however enumerated sexual harassment to include sex texting of students, sexual comments to students, sexual advances, touching of students’ body parts, among others.
He said CODE, through a SCALE Project funded by USAID, dedicated the month of February to engage lawmakers in the state to support and sponsor the bill.
According to him, “The cluster has been working to end the menace of sexual harassment in the country by providing support for the passage of the Anti-Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Bill (2023), a Federal bill now awaiting President Bola Tinubu’s assent.
“In the course of our work in the state, record has it that there is an astronomical rise in the incidence of sexual harassment of pupil/students by teachers and other educators in primary schools to tertiary institutions across the state.”
Responding the lawmakers lauded CODE for the bill and promised to sponsor it, while the Deputy Speaker, KufreAbasi Edidem, said there is need to review the VAPP Law to accommodate their prayers.
