An NGO, Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWIE), has trained the members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) on combating sexual harassment in public spaces in Kaduna State.
At the final seminar of the “We for Them” (WFT) project implemented by EWEI on Monday in Kaduna, Mr. Mendie Jeremiah, its secondary focal person, said it was initiated due to the incessant cases of sexual harassment in public spaces.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the WFT project implemented by EWEI is supported by the African Women Development Fund.
Jeremiah said that EWEI, founded in 2008, has been steadfast in its commitment to providing multi-sectoral interventions aimed at empowering and supporting women and girls.
He said that the primary objective of the project was to reduce SGBV, with a special focus on combating sexual harassment and abuse in public spaces.
Jeremiah said that in pursuit of combating sexual harassment and abuse, the NGO collaborated with the two unions in the state.
He also said that the partnerships with the organisations underscored the importance of collective efforts in combating sexual harassment and promoting safer public spaces.
The focal person explained, ”NURTW is a male-dominated union where the project works in collaboration to reduce violence in motor parks.
“We are looking at the ratio of men to women in ASUP and NURTW.
”The project also tries to make men at the forefront of fighting sexual harassment in public spaces, which is why the two bodies are key to the project.
“We are not saying that men are the only perpetrators of sexual harassment, but we are living in a patriarchal society where men take most of the decisions.
”We want to see men speaking more and supporting survivors of SGBVs from investigation to the end.”
In an interview on the sidelines of the event, the Director, Policy and Transparency Division (PTD) of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr. Ismail Anchau, said they were saddled with the responsibility of ensuring ethical conduct in the institution.
He said the Polytechnic has an existing sexual harassment prohibition policy.
”The policy was formulated as a sequel to a directive from the Federal Government because of the value it has for women and even men who could also be sexually harassed,”’ he said.
Anchau added that the polytechnic ensured that its members of staff and students were always sensitized to the menace.
He restated the polytechnic’s commitment to ethical conduct and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Also, Malam Ussaini Buba, the Secretary of NURTW at Kantin Kwari Motor Park, Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna, said the training gave them more knowledge on some forms of sexual harassment.
He added that the knowledge they gained through the project would further strengthen their existing laws in motor parks across the state.
According to Buba, every motor park in the state has a disciplinary office and a committee that handle cases of theft, drug abuse, and sexual harassment. (NAN)
