The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill aimed at addressing sexual harassment in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, titled “A Bill for an Act to prevent, prohibit and redress sexual harassment of students in tertiary educational institutions and related matters connected therewith.”
The bill proposes a maximum of 14 years imprisonment for offenders convicted of sexual harassment and a penalty of five years imprisonment or a fine of N5 million for heads of institutions who fail to take action on reported cases.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the bill’s sponsor and House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, highlighted the law’s intention to “promote and protect ethical standards in tertiary education, the sanctity of the student-educator fiduciary relationship of authority, dependency and trust, and respect for human dignity in tertiary educational institutions.”
Rotimi explained that the bill seeks to “provide for the protection of students against sexual harassment by educators in tertiary educational institutions,” with a focus on the “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.”
The bill defines sexual offences as any act where an educator “engages in any form of unwelcome physical contact or verbal conduct of a sexual nature with a student or prospective student, or demands such conduct, regardless of consent.”
It also criminalises actions that “create a hostile, offensive, or intimidating environment for a student by making unsolicited or inappropriate sexual advances or requesting sexual favours.”
Additionally, educators are deemed guilty of sexual harassment if they “direct, facilitate, assist, or encourage another person to engage in any act of sexual harassment,” “display, send, or distribute sexually explicit or suggestive material, including images, videos, or objects, to a student through any medium,” or make “verbal or non-verbal remarks, comments, or gestures of a sexual nature intended to degrade, humiliate, or body shame a student.”
The legislation stipulates that “any person who commits any of the offences or acts specified in clause 4 (1), (2) and (3)” shall face an imprisonment term of up to 14 years but not less than five years, without an option of a fine.
It further mandates that “an administrative head of an institution who fails to comply with the provisions of sub-clauses (1) and (2) of this clause” shall be subject to a fine of N5 million, a five-year prison term, or both upon conviction.
For less severe offences under clause 4 (4), (5), and (6), the proposed punishment includes a prison sentence of up to five years but not less than two years, also without an option of a fifine. .
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