FUTO pledges to curb sexual harassment in varsity

The Vice Chancellor and students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) 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 sensitisation campaign against the menace, which was organised by the feminist non-governmental organisation, Alliances for Africa (AfA), in partnership with the Institution of Women, Gender, and Development Studies (IWOGDS), FUTO, held at the university over the weekend.

Speaking, FUTO VC Prof. Nnenna Otti, represented by the Deputy (Academics), Prof. Emmanuel Esenwah, identified indecent dressing, a nonchalant attitude to studies, and moral decadence among the students and staff as major factors facilitating the menace in the school.

Otti stated that FUTO maintains zero tolerance for all forms of indecent behaviour and 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 Students’ Union President, Comrade Stanley Nwosu, pledged to continually sensitise and encourage students to always speak out or report to appropriate authorities 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.”

She stressed that “despite existing policies, sexual harassment persists at FUTO, undermining the dignity of both students and staff, as well as severely disrupting academic and administrative progress and hindering national development.”

Duru expressed concern that if the menace is not checked, students’ academic development and staff progress will continue to suffer.

She, therefore, advised the FUTO management and other stakeholders on the need to urgently strengthen policies, establish support systems, and enforcement mechanisms at the institution to create a safer learning environment and conducive academic atmosphere for the benefit of the entire university community.

The sensitization campaign had over one thousand students and staff, including the top management team of the institution, in attendance.