A significant majority—80%—of reported sexual harassment cases at the University of Ghana (UG) involve student-on-student incidents rather than misconduct by faculty or non-teaching staff, according to university data.
Mabel Sowatey, a faculty member of the Sociology Department and a member of UG’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee, noted that only a small proportion of reported cases involve faculty and non-teaching staff.
She made these remarks during a focus group meeting at the University of Ghana, Legon. The meeting was organized by POS Foundation in collaboration with the Student Representative Council (SRC) Women’s Commission in Accra on Monday.
Ms. Sowatey outlined various forms of harassment, including unsolicited advances, persistent unwanted propositions, inappropriate gestures, excessive attention (such as love letters), hooting and whispering, sending explicit photographic materials, assault, and rape.
She emphasized the importance of reporting cases to university authorities and the police, as some offenses, such as rape, constitute criminal acts.
“Consent must be freely given,” she stated. “Students are not permitted to engage in relationships with lecturers, and anyone who experiences harassment should feel empowered to report it.”
With functioning CCTV systems and strengthened internal resolution mechanisms, UG is demonstrating its commitment to addressing sexual harassment. “We do not want a situation where a student’s education is disrupted because of harassment,” Sowatey reiterated. “Let your ‘no’ be an affirmative no.”
She also acknowledged that there have been incidents of false reporting, emphasizing that action is taken only after a thorough investigation.
Campaign to Raise Awareness
Jonathan Osei Owusu, Founder and Executive Director of POS Foundation, said the campaign aims to raise awareness about sexual harassment on university campuses, protect students’ rights, and foster a safe academic environment.
He underscored the global prevalence of sexual harassment in educational institutions, affecting students, faculty, and staff. While many Ghanaian universities have anti-sexual harassment policies, their effectiveness is often hampered by inadequate reporting channels, slow response times, and weak implementation.
“The National Accreditation Board has provided guidelines for developing comprehensive sexual harassment and gender-based violence policies, yet there remains a significant gap between policy and practice,” Owusu noted. “Many students face stigma when reporting such incidents, and university authorities often exhibit apathy in addressing these cases.”
He advised the students against making inappropriate gestures and comments that disrespect their colleagues.
Addressing the Issues
The focus group meeting sought to educate university stakeholders on sexual harassment, its forms, and consequences, review existing policies to ensure alignment with international standards, and assess and improve reporting mechanisms for harassment complaints.
It is also to gather first-hand insights to refine sexual harassment policies and train university administrators, faculty, and staff on prevention and response strategies.
As part of the initiative, the POS Foundation will organize one-day seminars across five universities: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Ghana (UG), University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and University of Development Studies (UDS). These seminars will educate students and faculty while assessing current policies and identifying areas for improvement.
