The Vice-Chancellor and students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, have pledged to support efforts targeted at curbing the prevalence of sexual harassment in the institution.
They made the pledge at a one-day in-house sensitization campaign against the menace, organized by a feminist non-governmental organization, Alliances for Africa, in partnership with the Institution of Women, Gender and Development Studies, FUTO, held at the university campus.
Speaking at the sensitization programme, FUTO VC, Prof. Nnenna Otti, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Emmanuel Esenwah, identified indecent dressing, nonchalant attitude to studies and moral decadence among the students and staff as major factors facilitating the menace in the school.
Otti, who stated that “FUTO maintains zero tolerance to all forms of indecent behaviours,” assured that more stringent measures would be put in place to reduce, if not stop, cases of sexual harassment and other sundry crimes in the university.
Also, IWOGDS Director, Prof. Edna Matthew-Njoku and the President of the Students’ Union Government, Comrade Stanley Nwosu, pledged to continually sensitize and encourage the students to always speak out or report to the appropriate authority any case of sexual harassment experienced within the institution, while assuring them of adequate protection and justice.
Earlier in her speech, AfA Programme Director, Ms Blessing Duru, said, “Sexual harassment remains a pervasive issue in Nigerian tertiary institutions, including FUTO.
Duru expressed concern that if the menace was not checked, students’ academic development and staff progress would continue to suffer.
She therefore advised the FUTO management and other stakeholders on the need to urgently strengthen policies, establish support systems and enforce mechanisms at the institution to create a safer learning and conducive academic environment for the benefit of the entire university community.
The sensitization campaign had over 1,000 students and staff, including top management team of the institution in attendance.
