Today on #BillTracker : A Bill for an Act to make provisions for the prohibition of sexual harassment of students by educators.
Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institution Bill,2016 (SB. 262) by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Delta Central and 57 other Senators.
TRACK RECORD
Second Reading:24th May 2016
Third Reading: 27th October 2016
Current Status: Awaiting Concurrence and Assent
Sexual Harassment Bill seeks to achieve the following:
-To correct the observed culture of sex for marks or other favours in tertiary institutions and replace suasion with a tough law & raise the bar of ethical conduct & discipline in learning institutions.
-Persons found guilty of sexual harassment shall be sentenced to 2- 5yrs imprisonment no fine options.
-Students will be allowed to submit sexual harassment complaints to administrative head of the institution in question.
-It will make it easier for offenders to be prosecuted by penalizing impropriety of the act with or without consent, by making consent immaterial once the act is established.
- When enacted into law the provisions would make such an act a statutory rape or a strict liability offence and offer better protection to students.
- Sexual Harassment Bill spells the criminal liability of an administrative head who fails to address sexual harassment complaints.
- The bill further makes provisions for the protections of students from victimization under any guise and prescribes expulsion for students who falsely accuse educators of sexual harassment.
- It will not only cure the troubling mischief of sexual harassment of students in tertiary institutions but provide learning environments devoid of sexual harassment for our students, daughters and mothers.