Group trains academic staff of Kadpoly on prevention of SGBV

From: Femi  Oyelola, Kaduna

Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI) an (NGO), has sensitised members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Kaduna Polytechnic Chapter, on the prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

EWEI’s Programme Officer, Gender, Mr Mendie Jeremiah, at the opening session of the seminar in Kaduna,  said  that the orientation was under the “We for Them (WFT)” project.

Jeremiah, who is also the Secondary Focal Person, WFT, explained that the project was being implemented in partnership with Africa Women’s Development Fund.

He said the project was specifically aimed at decreasing the frequency of SGBV, with particular focus on sexual harassment and abuse in public spaces.

He said EWEI would be working with allies from ASUP, a male-dominated union of Kaduna Polytechnic to implement the project in the next two years.

He added that a total of 50 academic staff members was selected from five colleges of the institution to participate in the implementation of the project.

He identified the schools as College of Engineering, College of Science and Technology, College of Environmental Studies, College of Administrative Studies and Social Sciences, and College of Business and Management Studies.

“It is important to state that this project recognises the power, influence, and intellectual nature of the union as a strategic ally to reform.

“This will ensure the implementation of existing legal instruments that address sexual harassment in this institution.

“Together, we will speak out against this social problem that has prevented members of our communities from developing and using their full potential, especially women and girls,” he said.

He described sexual harassment as an “unwelcome, unwanted sexual advances, and other verbal or physical contacts of a sexual nature that creates a hostile or offensive environment”.

He described sexual harassment as a physically and emotionally dangerous  form of violence against women given its propensity to cause them distress.

“For example, it is harassment when women ask for sexual favours in return for grades, jobs, promotions, or salary raise in places of work.

“WFT is similarly being implemented with members of the Kaduna chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and together, we expect to reach more than 4,500 primary and secondary beneficiaries,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Courage Galah, EWEI’s Senior Programme Officer, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning, said that the approach would include raising awareness about GBV toll-free helplines and support systems for survivors.

He said other approaches included advocacy, training, community mobilisation, and service delivery.