Stakeholders chart course on tackling sexual harassment in universities
A two-day multi-stakeholder workshop has been held in Aburi of the Eastern Region to strengthen survivor-centred responses to gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual harassment, and to establish safe reporting spaces on university campuses.
The programme, organised by the Perfector of Sentiments (POS) Foundation, with support from AmplifyChange, brought together policymakers, university authorities, student leaders, gender experts, and civil society organisations. It also focused on practical measures to address persistent sexual harassment challenges in Ghana’s public universities.
Held on the theme: ‘United for Inclusion: Strengthening Survivor-Centred GBV and Sexual Harassment Response in Ghanaian Universities,’ the workshop followed a 2025 comparative policy analysis of anti-sexual harassment frameworks across the University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University for Development Studies, and University of Education, Winneba.
The Executive Director of POS Foundation, Mr Jonathan Osei Owusu, said the study revealed gaps between policy design and implementation, including low awareness, inconsistent enforcement, inadequate resources, and weak survivor support systems.
These findings, he emphasied, were confirmed during “Safe Spaces” consultations with more than 600 students. Poverty, fear of retaliation, lack of trust in institutional responses, and limited knowledge of reporting procedures were identified as key barriers to justice.
Mr Owusu noted that harassment was often rooted in entrenched cultural beliefs which linked financial investment in relationships or academic authority to entitlement over another’s body.
“Patriarchy, tradition and silence dangerously distort consent and autonomy. Consent is never a transaction—your body belongs to you,” he mentioned.
He expressed concern about cases of students being secretly filmed during intimacy and later blackmailed, as well as instances of violence in student relationships.
He called for closer collaboration among universities, security agencies and state institutions to ensure a holistic response.
Mr Owusu further disclosed plans to extend the initiative to private and technical universities, and to institutionalise a national tertiary education conference on safe campuses and GBV prevention.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Senior Programme Officer, Ms Ernestina Oduro, commended POS Foundation and its partners for sustaining advocacy. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening survivor-centred reporting mechanisms, including the Orange Support Centre.
The Director of Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education, Dr Emmanuel Newman, also lauded the initiative, urging stakeholders to ensure continuous awareness creation, effective policy enforcement, and robust survivor support systems to make campuses safe and inclusive.
FROM CECILIA YADA LAGBA, ABURI
