The Nigerian House of Representatives has passed a bill to address sexual harassment in the country’s tertiary institutions, proposing up to 14 years in prison for convicted offenders.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to prevent, prohibit and redress sexual harassment of students in tertiary educational institutions,” was passed on Wednesday.
The law would also make heads of institutions who fail to act on harassment complaints from students liable to five years in prison or a fine of N5 million.
The spokesperson for the House and the bill’s sponsor, Akin Rotimi, explained its aim, stating, “It is enacted 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.”
He added that the bill seeks to protect students from harassment by educators, to prevent such harassment, and to ensure proper handling of complaints.
The bill details specific actions considered as sexual offences, including:
- Any unwelcome physical or verbal contact of a sexual nature with a student or prospective student, regardless of consent.
- Creating a hostile or intimidating environment by making unsolicited advances or requests for sexual favors.
- Sending or showing sexually explicit material to a student.
- Making degrading comments or gestures of a sexual nature or targeting a student based on appearance.
- Stalking or any persistent, unwanted attention directed at a student.
The bill specifies that anyone convicted of serious harassment, defined in several clauses, could face imprisonment from five to 14 years without an option of a fine.
Additionally, any institution head failing to comply with the law could face a minimum fine of N5 million, five years imprisonment, or both.
Rotimi emphasized that the bill would “set higher ethical standards” in Nigeria’s universities and protect the rights and dignity of students.
