“The ICPC regards sexual harassment as a corrupt practice. There is a need for victims to know their rights, as well as how to seek justice.”
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says sexual harassment is a facet of corrupt practices.
The anti-graft agency called for the support of HEIR Women Development, a non-governmental organisation, to tackle workplace sexual harassment.
Akibu Garba, team leader, Constituency Project Tracking Group at the ICPC, made the call during a one-day workshop on ‘Career Barriers and Workplace Sexual Harassment Against Young Women in Nigeria’.
The workshop was organised by HEIR Women Development with the support of the Ford Foundation on Monday in Abuja.
“The ICPC regards sexual harassment as a corrupt practice. There is a need for victims to know their rights, as well as how to seek justice to put an end to the menace,” explained Mr Garba. “The commission’s sexual harassment policy signed by our chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, has zero tolerance for any form of sexual harassment in ICPC offices nationwide.”
According to Mr Garba, the commission’s policy on sexual harassment spells out disciplinary actions against sexual predators.
“The conversation about sexual harassment is apt. We have so many investigations and recommendations on how to address the menace in our handbook on sexual harassment. We have a process where we make new staff go through it. Sexual harassment is becoming worrisome based on its high rate. We are collaborating with agencies and NGOs towards curbing it,” he noted.
(NAN)
