The University of Calabar, as an institution engaged in teaching, research, and dissemination of knowledge, is well placed to reflect on, become sensitised to, and oppose all forms of discrimination and harassment, especially sexual harassment, on the University of Calabar campus. Claims of equality, dignity, and the ability to live, work, and study without fear of harassment are intrinsic ingredients of this moment. Women constitute 25 percent of all students in higher education in Nigeria today. At the same time, this closing gender gap has ongoing inequalities and disparities among women and men, which can only be approached with an intersectional analysis that combines gender with region, class, caste, religion, ability, and sexuality, among others.

It is also noticed that there is considerable confusion on the subject of discrimination and harassment. Bhasin, K. (1997) Basic rights to dignity and respect are also not sufficiently in evidence. There is a need for information about women’s rights, questions of sexuality, norms of masculinity and femininity, and an understanding of the diverse and heterogeneous composition of the University of Calabar Campus. Gender sensitivity can be achieved by conducting various sensitization campaigns, training centres, workshops, programmes, etc.

The University of Calabar, with all its commitment, care, and concern, strives to have zero tolerance regarding harassment of any kind, reviewing the present arrangements, identifying loopholes and inadequacies, and formulating remedial measures to address the concerns of all girls and women on the University of Calabar Campus.

Objective / Purpose

• To bring awareness among the staff and students about the need for extensive understanding of gender sensitization.
• To plan for more gender-sensitive facilities, amenities, programmes, projects, and activities and ensure their execution through the governance framework.
• To implement informal social control, if required, strict formal social control is recommended to redress issues related to gender sensitization.

Gender Sensitization Action Plan

Gender sensitization presides over gender sensitivity, the modification of behaviour by raising awareness of gender equality concerns. It is a basic requirement to understand the sensitive needs of a particular gender. It helps us to examine our personal attitudes and beliefs and question the ‘realities’ that we think are familiar to us. Gender sensitization is not confined to matters related to our students only; its extensive scope also includes the concerns of faculty in all disciplines, support staff, and administration [2].

Counselling Service

Counselling services must be institutionalised for all constituents; regular faculty doubling up as counsellors, part-time arrangements, and so on, which are widely prevalent, must be eschewed in favour of well-trained full-time counsellors [3,4]. It is observed that high levels of isolation, alienation, and confusion regarding gender-related problems are growing among students.

Self-Defense Classes

All constituents of the university should ensure the conduct of regular self-defense classes for women students. It will not only be helpful for their physical fitness but also for building their confidence to combat the incidence of sexual harassment and enable them to protest against any such incident.

Our approach to the concept of equality should be subtle, modest, and understood in its right sense and spirit. It should not be a comparison of the physical strength that women are required to have to do all the lifting and pushing jobs as well; if they do, they should be ‘equal’ [5].

Gender Sensitization programme for sexual harassment in University of Calabar Campus has recommended various range of such workshop;

1. Gender Sensitization
2. Understanding Sexual harassment on University of Calabar campus.
3. How to recognize the line of unwelcome sexual harassment.
4. Sexual harassment and cultural diversity.
5. Legal Law and Right
6. Sexual harassment of women in the work place.

Gender sensitization

Students or faculty or non- teaching staff may be asked to read one section per day and this can be starting point of a discussion on the range of issues outlined. For employees training in gender sensitization workshops should be compulsory and should be appropriately structured depending on the group being sensitized, with innovative methodologies and multiple formats.

Among students orientation workshops must be conducted in their first year. All students should have participated in some programmed, workshops or courses on gender to be eligible for the award of a degree.

Workshop 1: What is Gender?

Workshop 2: the pressure on gender to perform/ behave in particular ways. Illustrate with examples from advertising etc. 

Workshop 3: Many bodies, many sexualities. Recognizing diversity in gender and sexuality.

Workshop 4: How do gender relations intersect with other axes of inequality and discrimination such as caste, class, region, minority identity, disability and so on?

Workshop 5: (For a workshop with student) Gender Equality in interpersonal relationships.

Workshop 6: Power and Violence against women, combating myths and understanding legal provisions.

Workshops on Understanding Sexual Harassment in University of Calabar, Campus

What constitutes sexual harassment and how to deal with it, is a source of major confusion for most people, whether students, faculty or administrators. Given below is the list of workshop series dealing with sexual harassment.

Workshop 1: Defining Sexual Harassment in the workplace.

Workshop 2: Dealing with an event of sexual harassment

Workshop 3: Guideline for a compliant

Workshop 4: Redress of sexual Harassment and disciplinary action

Workshop 5: Interactions with other laws and rules

Workshop 6: Procedures and Guidelines for the functioning of a committee.

How to recognize the line of ‘unwelcome’ sexual behaviour

Once there is a foundation for a free discussion on sex, we can move to the next part of the conversation. It is based around participants themselves recognizing when sexual attention can become uncomfortable. This is a bold and highly charged conversation. A common question which arises in any discussion around sexual harassment is how a person can recognize what is acceptable conduct and what isn’t. What is normal conduct and when does it become unacceptable?

Here, the trainer (if a woman) can start using her physical identity to explain how people who see her would perceive her. The focus is on physical perceptions - a person with a voluptuous figure, gorgeous looks, dangerous smile, etc. She could identify portions of the attire that could generate sexual interest. This demonstrates that women are aware of how men perceive them, that momentary or fleeting ideas and perceptions that do not translate into action are not problematic. It explains that people recognize and appreciate being considered attractive, but also helps a third person in assessing when this can become uncomfortable.

If the trainer is a man, he can directly start explaining (even with humour) examples of how he has felt desirable, and share incidents where there was excessive attention from another man or woman that made him uncomfortable.

The purpose is to identify a universally agreeable line of tolerance or acceptable conduct for everyone at work, without making employees uncomfortable about whether ordinary and everyday work interactions are also capable of being perceived as sexual harassment.

How do we know whose perception about the act being harassing is relevant - the complainant or the respondent? It is important not to get into this and take the argument that post-sensitization, both the complainant and the respondent are brought to such a level that they are both able to recognize unwelcome situations in the same way.

Discussion on ‘unwelcomeness’ of sexual harassment

Men can deny or feel numb or incapable of identifying / reading / recognizing suggestive and unwelcome actions that they take towards women. In a vast majority of cases, they can argue that their behaviour was inadvertent and that in any case their conduct need not have been perceived as having any sexual connotations. It is important that such arguments are not used in hearings.

This situation can be prevented by suitable sensitization, so that there is clarity on what is and what is not unwelcome. However, the tone used to explain what unwelcome needs to be carefully chosen is - the session will backfire if it is sensed that the organization has a pedantic or a ‘we will teach you how to behave’ attitude.

Therefore, if one is attempting to explain how a victim feels, it can may make a listener more defensive or feel guilty and horrible about himself or herself. These feelings may not necessarily encourage alteration of one’s conduct. Instead if a trainer makes the participants connect to experiences of unwelcome conduct in their own lives, they will automatically relate to the pain of a complainant / victim. . Hence, the trainer can make them recall an experience where they experienced or gave in to welcome or unwelcome sexually suggestive action. The purpose is for them to acknowledge that it has or could have happened with them as well.

Sexual harassment and cultural diversity

The confusion about whose perception on whether sexual harassment occurred is relevant (i.e. the doer or the complainant) was touched upon earlier, but it is compounded by diversity issues. How can these be dealt with?

At first, it is important to establish the difference between what actually happened and any inferences that were drawn from what happened. The trainer can take the lead and share examples from his or her own life. For example, what is the first impression of?

• A woman who smokes or drinks - A woman with low morals and poor upbringing
• A woman wearing a sari - Respectful, sophisticated and cultured person
• A woman wearing jeans - Does that mean she shouldn’t be taken seriously or is careless?

Explain how these are obviously only first impressions which need not be true. A woman wearing a sari may drink and smoke and may be promiscuous, while a woman who smokes may be committed, hardworking and dedicated. It is important that the relevance of impressions is destroyed [6]. There is a difference between what actually is and all the noise which is introduced in the process of interpretation.

Explain that this is not related to the above situations only, but it is happening all the time. If there are 40 women in the workplace, their male co-workers may have drawn certain inferences or conclusions about them (it is irrelevant whether they are innocent and harmless or negative - the purpose is to explain how we continuously keep drawing inferences).

Give example of somebody who has the habit of more intimate physical contact - someone who talks from a closer distance, someone who habitually pats on the shoulder, back or thigh. Make people recognize what is actually harassment from the previous conversation and what appears to them as harassment due to a different conditioning or background. Do you really need to live in suffocation in such as case? Do you even need to approach an ICC?

Identify as many factors of diversity that could lead to a difference in perception in the context of that organization. Take help from the audience to list down wide categories of situations that could arise in their work context. The expert should be capable of explaining new situations that participants may introduce.

Referring to the above, expand the ambit of sexual harassment at work to include third parties, visitors and outsiders within the work context. Explain workplace. Explain management responsibilities.

Workshops on Law and Rights

Workshops can also be organized that look at issues of gender and sexual harassment in the context of legal rights and remedies offered by the courts. Basic knowledge about how to file a complaint, what to do when faced with illegal detention or arrest, what to do when one is battered or stalked, equal opportunity legislation, freedom of expression and it’s violation, are addressed in these workshops

Workshop 1: Right under the constitute

Workshop 2: Securing Rights: Interaction in a police station

Workshop 3and 4: Resisting Gendered Violence

Workshop 5 and 6: Equal Opportunity Legislations

Workshop 7: Freedom of speech

Workshop 8: Emergency laws

Workshop 9: Right of Minorities

Workshop 10: Right to information, securing identity documentations

Governance Frameworks

There are following bodies for the effective’s analysis, investigating, planning, directing, organizing and decision making for the justifiable arrangement and reformation with respect to the requirement and problems pertaining to the issues of gender sensitization [7]. Apart from the objectives of their committee, they need to ensure that the said gender sensitivity plan is being implemented.

1. Gender Sensitivity Unit
2. Internal Compliant Committee
3. Gender Sensitivity Committee against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH)

Sexual Harassment

An unwanted conduct with sexual undertones if it concern or which is persistent and demeans humilities or creates a hostile and intimidating environment or is calculated to induce submission by actual or threatened adverse consequence and includes any one or more or all of the following unwelcome acts or behavior , namely;

1. Any unwelcome physical , verbal or nonverbal conduct of sexual nature
2. Demand or request for sexual favors
3. Making sexually colored remarks
4. Physical contact and advances
5. Showing pornography
6. Explicit promise of preferential treatment as quid pro quo for sexual favors
7. Implied threats of detrimental treatment in the conduct of work
8. Explicit threats about the present or future status of the person concerned
9. Creating and intimidating offensive or hostile learning environment
10. Humiliating treatment likely to affect the health, safely dignity or physical integrity of the person concerned.

Any unfavorable treatment meted out to a person with an implicit or explicit to obtain sexual favor. 

Punishment and Compensation

1. Anyone found guilty of sexual harassment shall be punished in accordance with the service rules of the University of Calabar, if the offender is an employee.
2. Where the respondent is a student, depending upon the severity of the offence, the university may: withhold privilege of the student such as access to library, hostel, auditorium, transportation. Scholarship, identity card.
3. Suspend or restrict entry into the campus for a specific period.
4. Expel and strike off name form the rolls of the institute / department including denials of readmission, if the offence so warrants.
5. Award reformative punishments like mandatory counselling.
6. The Loss of career opportunity due to the incident of sexual harassment.
7. The medical expenses incurred by the victim for physical, psychiatric treatment.

Action against False and Frivolous/ Malicious Compliant and Misuse of Provision for Prevention of Sexual Harassment

1. To ensure that the provision for protection of employee and student form sexual harassment do not get misused, provision against false or malicious compliant s have to be made and publicized within all constitutes / department of the university [8]. If the complaints happen to be an employee and if he/she happens to be a student, punishment shall be as prescribed in the rules in this behalf.
2. Malicious intent on the part of complainant shall not be established without an inquiry, in accordance with the procedure prescribed conducted before any action is recommended.
3. The Vice Chancellor may accept / partially accept/ reject the recommendation.

However, in a case of a women who has been sexually harassed but is not in a position to provide adequate proofs/ evidences , in such case the internal committee shall give the report to the executive Authority for approval and  after the approval, the compliant woman shall not be punished in any way.

1. The Vice Chancellor shall act on the recommendation of the internal committee after completion of thirty days (30) days, unless an appeal against the finding is field within that time by either party.
2. Provided that in case of exigency, before expiry 30days or pending the final decision of Appeal filed, if any, the Vice chancellor in the interest of justice can pass appropriate interim order, taking into consideration, safety and security of the student And conductive environment on campus.
3. If the Vice Chancellor decides not to acts as per the recommendation of the internal committee he/she shall record reasons in writing for the same and shall convey his/her decision to the internal committee and both the parties to the proceeding.
4. If the vice chancellor decides to act as per the recommendation of the internal committee then a show cause notice answerable within ten (10) days shall be served on the party against whom the action is decided to be taken. The Vice Chancellor shall proceed for action only after considering the reply or hearing the aggravated person.

1. Bhasin K. What is a girl? What is a boy? Illustrations by Bindia Thapar. New Delhi: Jagori. 1997.
2. Ekeng EB, Odey GA, Undiyaundeye FA. Students Attitude towards Sex Education among Senior Secondary Schools in Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. International Journal of Education, Learning and Development. 2022; 10: 26-38.
3. Bhasin K. Conversations with Adolescents (I), Life Skills: The Art of Living. Illustrations by Vandana Bist and Surabhi Singh. New Delhi: UNFPA. 2016.
4. Bhasin K. Conversations with Adolescents (II), Understanding Adolescence and Sexuality. Illustrations by Vandana Bist and Surabhi Singh. New Delhi: UNFPA. 2016.
5. Ekeng EB, Arop LO, Akpama EG, Otu Ck. Child Abuse and Student’s Academic Performance in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. International Journal of Creative Research Thought. 2022; 10: 387-397.
6. Ekeng EB, Akpama EG, Undiyaundeye FA. Gender Counselling and Mainstreaming in Human Communication and Development. Journal of African Interdisciplinary studies. 2021; 5: 118-128.
7. Sangat #PropertyForHer Campaign. Words by Kamla Bhasin. Illustrated by Sijaya Gupta. 2018.
8. Ekeng EB, Jacks S. Prevalence of teenage pregnancy among secondary school students in Cross River State Nigeria. British International Journal of Education and Social. 2019; 6.
9. Cards by Jagori, Words by Kamla Bhasin, Trans created From Hindi by Bina Agarwal, Illustrated by Micky Patel in Bhasin. 2018.
10. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2000. UNDP. 2000.
11. Gender Equality Glossary. UN Women training Centre. 2020.
12. Breakthrough-SANAM workbook on masculinities by Urvashi Gandhi.