By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa/Umoja Standard.
Kampala, Uganda: Professor Grace Bantebya, Principal Investigator of the Kick Sexual Harassment (KISH) Project, emphasized the need for a holistic approach to addressing sexual harassment in universities. “We thought this problem cannot be solved in isolation… We thought the entire system needs to be addressed at different levels,” she said.
Professor Bantebya highlighted the importance of engaging men in the solution to sexual harassment. “We thought men who are normally classified as the perpetrators… should be part of the game and they are part of the solution,” she noted.
The KISH Project, funded by the Research and Innovation Fund at Makerere University, aimed to address sexual harassment in a comprehensive manner. “We’ve journeyed with them… They’ve guided us through this research project,” Professor Bantebya said, expressing gratitude to the funders.
Professor Bantebya commended the research team, participants, and stakeholders for their dedication and hard work. “The team became a family… I want to thank all of you for the tremendous job that you really did,” she said.
Ms. Phoebe Lutaya Kamya, Coordinator MAKRIF, representing Masagazi Massazi, the Chairperson Grants Management Committee, Makerere University noted, the Research and Innovation Fund (RIF) has commends the Kick Sexual Harassment (KISH) PROJECT team for its outstanding work in addressing sexual harassment in higher educational institutions. “We at the RIF are very proud of this achievement and this project is flagged as one of our high-impact projects,” said Kamya, Coordinator MakRIF.
The KISH Project has developed an online web-based system for reporting, supporting, and processing cases of sexual harassment, while ensuring safety and confidentiality. “It has created an online web-based KISH system… which is very, very, very crucial in this game of sexual harassment,” Kamya noted.
The project has also established student clubs with coaches, providing support and impacting life skills, as well as an online course covering information on sexual harassment policies and structures. “Students have been organized into clubs with coaches… And also give them knowledge on how to report and prevent this vice,” Kamya explained.
The Chairperson of the Grants Management Committee, Prof. Masagazi Masazi, has urged the KISH Project team to share its innovation with other universities, colleges, and tertiary institutions in Uganda. “I wish the team the best of luck as they move out to share this innovation…,” Prof. Masagazi Masazi said.
According to Professor Florence K Muhanguzi; A recent study at Makerere University has revealed that over 75% of staff and 80% of students reported that sexual harassment is common at the university. “The findings from the baseline survey indicated that over 75% of the staff showed or revealed that sexual harassment was common,” said Professor Muhanguzi.
The study also found that female students are more likely to experience sexual harassment, with 55% reporting at least one form of harassment. “The majority of the victims were female students with the perpetrators being male students and staff,” Professor Muhanguzi noted.
The Kick Sexual Harassment (KISH) project, which was implemented at Makerere University, has shown significant impact in creating awareness and building skills among students. “The findings show that there is an increase in knowledge in the different forms of sexual harassment,” Professor Muhanguzi said.
The project’s online system for reporting sexual harassment has been hailed as a best practice. “The KISH initiative is an innovative initiative to fight against sexual harassment… It has been an approach that is involving all stakeholders,” Professor Muhanguzi explained.
The study’s findings have emphasized the need for continued efforts to enhance accessibility, raise awareness, and expand engagements to ensure long-term success. “We need to put in place initiatives that could continue to expand, to scale up these interventions,” Professor Muhanguzi said.
While presenting the KISH System, Dr. Ezra Agaba noted that, the Kick Sexual Harassment (KISH) project has developed an online system for reporting sexual harassment cases at Makerere University. “This tool has a number of functions… you can report cases, you can do an online course on sexual harassment,” said DR Agaba.
The KISH system provides a safe and confidential environment for victims to report cases. “The system provides a safe environment where confidentiality is paramount,” Dr. Agaba emphasized.
The online system also provides an e-learning platform where users can take a course on sexual harassment and receive a certificate upon completion. “You can do an online course on sexual harassment and then you get a certificate automatically generated by the system,” Dr. Agaba explained.
The KISH system has been designed to be user-friendly and accessible. “You can access this tool using any device with an internet connection,” Dr. Agaba said.
Dr. Euzobia Baine-Mugisha, Director of Makerere University’s Directorate of Gender Mainstreaming, has emphasized the importance of utilizing existing institutional frameworks to tackle sexual harassment. “The institutional framework that exists is a great opportunity for us to tackle the problem of sexual harassment,” she said.
However, she noted that the biggest challenge is the fear of reporting due to retaliation, which creates a vicious cycle where people are reluctant to report cases, making it difficult for the institution to respond.
Dr. Baine-Mugisha suggested that initiatives like the KISH clubs and online system can help build confidence and reduce the fear of reporting. She also recommended exploring additional means of reporting, such as text alerts, to ensure timely action is taken when cases are reported.
From the Students’ fraternity, Her Excellency Joy Serunjoji, Vice Guild President of Makerere University, has emphasized the need for a more aggressive approach in tackling sexual harassment on campus. “We need to be more aggressive as we solve this problem,” she said.
According to Serunjoji, the fear of reporting and retaliation remains a significant challenge, with many students undermining the offenses. She suggested increasing awareness and normalizing reporting through various channels, including social media, notice boards, and admission packages.
Additionally, Serunjoji emphasized the importance of bystander intervention and testimonials from victims to help reduce stigma and promote a culture of zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Atuhwerire Edronah, a fourth-year student and KISH Clubs mentee, highlighted the ongoing issue of fear among students to report sexual harassment cases despite the existence of an online reporting system. “There is still an issue of fear of members to report the cases of sexual harassment,” Edronah said.
To address this, Edronah emphasized the need for continued awareness creation to convince students to trust the system and report cases. Additionally, Edronah suggested mainstreaming KISH activities with existing university activities to reach a wider audience and incorporating a system to report cases involving non-university members.
The Kick Sexual Harassment (KISH) project at Makerere University has made significant strides in addressing sexual harassment through awareness creation, skill-building, and an online reporting system. Despite challenges, stakeholders have emphasized the need for continued efforts to enhance accessibility, raise awareness, and promote a culture of zero tolerance for sexual harassment.