The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has expressed its readiness to partner with relevant NGOs in curbing the menace of sexual harassment in workplaces.
The statement was made by the representative of the Commission, Mr. Akibu Garba during a one-day workshop on “Career Barriers and Workplace Sexual Harassment against Young Women in Nigeria”, organized by the HEIR Women Development, at Hotel Reno, Abuja, recently.
Mr. Garba added that ICPC recognizes sexual harassment as a corrupt practice, noting that contrary to the report that MDAs in the FCT do not have Sexual Harassment Policies, ICPC, under the chairmanship of Professor Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), had a Sexual Harassment Policy in place, to guide staff of the Commission in their interaction with different stakeholders and the opposite sex in the workplace.
He further commended HEIR Women Development for having the workshop at the right time, and the Ford Foundation for supporting the NGO.
Finally, he called on the victims of sexual harassment at workplaces to have the courage of reporting the matter to the appropriate authority to put a stop at the menace.
Earlier in the programme, the Executive Director, HEIR Women Development, Anuli Ola-Olaniyi, decried the prevalence of sexual harassment of girls and young women at work, saying that it makes them unproductive and unable to contribute their quota to national development.
