This archive report was first published on 15 November 2019.
A recent documentary on BBC highlighted the prevalence of sexual harassment in learning institutions in Ghana and Nigeria, sparking a wave of reactions on social media. While the issue is not unique to these countries, it is indeed a problem in Kenyan universities.
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2014, 14% of women and 6% of men aged 15-49 have experienced sexual violence. Research conducted in 2018 at the Nairobi Kenya Medical Training College found that 43% of student respondents and 27% of staff members had experienced some form of sexual harassment.
Despite the existence of policies online, many victims suffer in silence due to fear of vengeance. Male lecturers may conspire to protect their colleagues by penalizing the victim with bad grades. The lack of awareness and channels for seeking redress exacerbates the problem.
It is essential for institutions to have boards and committees that develop a plan of action to train and educate students on sexual harassment and violence. This should include defining consent, discussing gender inequality and power dynamics, and highlighting the consequences of sexual harassment on physical and mental health.
The policies should be reviewed biannually with full participation of students and victims to ensure they meet the needs of victims and deter perpetrators. A clear support and referral system should be in place to ensure victims receive justice.
Monitoring and evaluation are crucial in addressing this issue. The committees should issue quarterly reports on progress, and institutions should report cases to the police as it is a criminal offense. A monitoring and evaluation framework with targets and indicators of progress should be in place.
