51% Of Women In FCT Have Been Sexually Harassed At Their Organisations, HEIR Group Raises Alarm
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and Social Enterprise, HEIR Women Development, has disclosed that following an engagement with 1000 online respondents and 60 face to face interviews, findings have shown that 15 percent of the women were sexually harassed and raped at their workplaces while 51 percent have been sexually harassed at their organisations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It also disclosed that the survey showed that 55 percent of respondents are in the private sector, 26 percent in the public sector, and 19 percent are in the development sector.
The research on career barriers and workplace sexual harassment against women showed that 13.3 percent of women with disabilities are also victims of sexual harassment.
It has therefore called on relevant authorities and organizations to create workable policies to eradicate sexual harassment at workplaces.
These were the core of discussion at the Twitter Spaces and Instagram live sessions convened by the organization to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day (IWD) with the theme: “Breaking the Bias – Against Sexual Harassment at workplaces.”
The Executive Director of HEIR Women Development, Añuli Ola-Olaniyi, said the research results showed that sexual harassment is prevalent at workplaces and rape, violence such as online stalking, unwanted advance and offensive compliments are predominant forms of sexual harassment.
In her remarks, the Programme Officer, Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Response Team, Munachi Ike, noted that the Violence against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act is binding on all organizations, stressing the need for Nigerians to know and understand that their rights are protected.
“The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Acts mentioned 26 acts that can be punished under the law. Agencies like NAPTIP help enforce such acts in Nigeria; they ensure that victims get justice. People need to be sensitized about these laws,” she said.
“There are policies against sexual assault in Nigeria but needs to be reviewed as there is not enough punishment spelled out for defaulters,” she added.
On her part, Head of Gender at the African Union and host of Gender Agenda TV show in AIT, Adaora Onyechere, who was a guest at the online engagement organised by HEIR Women Developement, stressed that “we need actionable policies with deliberate approach to implementing them”. Furthermore, she suggested that there should be organizational review by the Corporate Affairs Commission such that if an organization is found guilty of sexual harassment, punitive actions should be enforced against that organization, like delisting and delicencing such an organization from the Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission. She added that timeline should be attached to the administering these penalties.
In addition, Onyechere added that with more women involved in the management of the organization, they will be more deliberate with issues that concern women. She equally identified the issue of advocacy and collaboration with organizations in ensuring that defaulting organizations are penalized as this would serve as deterrence to other organizations.
Similarly, the Executive Director, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Tunde Ademefun, expressed concerns that data from the survey shows 55% of respondents from the private sector and 26% in the public sector, and 19% are from the development sector as victims of sexual harassment.
HEIR Women Development research on career barriers and workplace sexual harassment against women shows that 13.3% of women with disabilities are victims of sexual harassment.
In reaction to this, Tunde Ademefun noted that there are more disabled women, this affects, “it is difficult for blind or deaf victims to report their perpetrators due to their impairment.”
“How do you detect cases of Sexual Harassment around a blind or deaf woman that can’t see the perpetrator? It all surrounds these policies and the designing of these policies,” he added.
“Private sectors are more exploitative because they pull the greatest workforce lately, considering the rate of unemployment in the public sector,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Development Research Expert, Isaac Idoko, stressed that family has great roles in bringing up children in safe environments, noting that most perpetrators have been brought up in environments that support such despicable acts or do nothing to stop the menace. He further added that sensitisation and awareness is critical for everyone to understand the implications and impact of sexual harassment on both the employer and the employee.
Ola-Olaniyi, concluded by saying Sexual harassment can cause trauma and should be stopped. She calls on all sectors to review their work place policies to ensure that organisations take responsibility to protect their employees.
A multi-sectoral career workshop is planned for second quarter of 2022 to further engage and tackle the findings from the research.
