UG creates WhatsApp platform for students to report sexual harassment

The University of Ghana, to mitigate the issue of sexual harassment, has created an anonymous e-mail address and WhatsApp platform where victims can file complaints of sexual harassment.

At the graduation ceremony for the College of Humanities on Thursday, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, urged victims of sexual harassment to come forth and report their cases so that the University can deal suitably with the issue.

“We particularly encourage people who may have fallen victim to such unfortunate incidents to take advantage of the sites and report the cases for redress”, he said.

The university has also put in place other certain measures to ensure that reports by students are not thrown to the wind but are actually investigated and dealt with.

“Following the broadcast, management set up a five-member fact-finding committee, chaired by Justice (retd) Vida Akoto-Bamfo, to inquire into the allegations.”

“I am happy to inform you that the committee submitted its report to me on Tuesday, November 12, 2019,” the Vice-Chancellor said.

He added that “management will, therefore, study the report and ensure implementation of the recommendations, using the appropriate adjudicatory processes stipulated under the basic law and policies of the university.”

He added that to curb the predicament, the Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CENGENSA) will begin a training programme to educate staff and students on what exactly can be referred to as sexual harassment as well as tips on how to respond to it “either as a perpetrator or victim”.