CampusMetoo Launch-Maseno Chapter
On Saturday 5/02/2022 Maseno University, with the support of Action Aid Kenya and UN women launched the #CampusMeToo movement that fights back against Sexual harassment in Higher learning institutions. the #CampusMeToo is a Pan-African, student-led movement that aims to raise awareness of sexual harassment as a grave human rights violation and empower students to break the silence. In a research conducted by Action Aid Kenya 49% female and 24% male have experienced sexual harassment from a staff member at their institution. 66% of the incidences were by a lecturer. Many of the victims of sexual harassment do not tell anyone. 38% female and 33% male students think it would be unlikely that the institution will take a report of sexual harassment seriously.
In 2020 student leaders from Kenyan Universities petitioned the Ministry of Education with five demands: make sexual harassment a topic during induction and orientation; conduct annual training for all staff on sexual harassment; appoint a gender officer with the obligation to facilitate training and outreach on sexual harassment and to establish an investigative committee that students can approach when they have missing marks due to instances of sexual harassment and incorporate these demands in a sexual harassment policy. Maseno University has put in place measures to meet most of these demands..
During the #CampusMeToo launch in which over 200 students participated, Dr. Nyangara the Director, Institute for Gender Studies urged the students to report incidences of sexual harassment and assured them of confidentiality, protection and action. She further reminded them that Maseno University was one of the few Universities proactive about dealing with sexual violence and harassment. During the same function, Dr. Lucy Ngutiku, the student counselor urged students to seek counseling and assistance from her office to handle personal and social issues that may be experiencing
Presentations and speeches were given by the #CampusMeToo Campaign Spokesperson, Celestine Mulobi, Face of Campaign, Jael Diana, Campus Ambassador and SOMU Finance Secretary Sheila Atieno, as well as Franklin Omollo, SOMU Chair. Jael led participants through an informative session on handling sexual harassment. Franklin was applauded for sharing his story which we hope will encourage others to come forward to stop perpetrators and end this vice.
