The Adamawa State Government has warned teachers and students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions against sexual harassment.
The state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Garba Pella, gave the warning at the engagement meeting with heads of the institutions in Yola on Friday.
Mr Pella, represented by his Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, called on stakeholders to support government in its fight against sexual harassment in the state.
He called on the heads of the institutions to set up a powerful committee to deal with the issue of gender-based violence in their respective institutions.
According to him, the committee will serve as a channel where the victims will report freely to ensure justice.
He said the committee, when inaugurated, should look at the issues received critically and take drastic actions against the perpetrators.
Research and Policy Officer of Gender Mobile Initiative, Eugeye Igho, advocated zero tolerance for sexual harassment in the state and advised for psychosocial support for survivors.
He encouraged stakeholders to take advantage of the mobile application for reporting GVB confidentially.
According to him, the challenge of sexual harassment is becoming more rampant than before especially on campuses.
He added that culture of silence also promotes sexual harassment hence the need for people to speak out for law to take its cause and serve as a deterrent to other.
Dr Bayou Mshelia, who spoke on behalf of the participants, said more need to be done toward reducing the rate of GBV by engaging religious and traditional leaders as well as laying more emphasis on dress code in institutions.
According to him, these will help and whoever found guilty should be sanctioned
(NAN)
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