POLICY ADVOCACY

ANTISEXUAL HARASSMENT BILL

To ensure that there are systems that protect students from sexual harassment in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, YAF took up the advocacy for Anti-Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Bill, better known as “Bill for an Act to Prevent, Prohibit and Redress Sexual Harassment of Students in Tertiary Educational Institutions, 2019 sponsored by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. More pleasantly, the Bill is sponsored by 106 of the 107 Senators.

YAF held a Policy Dialogue with legislators, government agencies, CSOs and other stakeholders to discuss the Bill, its provisions and the need to holistically address violence against students and other violation of women rights in Nigeria.

AKWA IBOM YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FUND BILL

Nigeria is currently confronted with a massive unemployment crisis. Youth unemployment has serious implications for the stability of democracy in Nigeria in variety of ways. The high unemployment rate of youths threatens economic growth because of the resulting effect of unemployment such as perpetration of violence and general insecurity threatens economic growth and development. In the Niger delta youth unemployment is even more severe. In 2013, Bayelsa state had the highest unemployment rate of 38 percent of its employable population, while Akwa Ibom state had an unemployment rate of 36 percent, and Rivers state, 32 percent.

Akwa Ibom Youth Development Fund Bill Is a bill for a law to implement a sustainable youth policy framework through the establishment of Akwa Ibom Youth Development Fund. Advocacy for the bill was led by Youth Alive Foundation with a coalition of over 53 civil society organization in the state. As a common trust the project sought to engender the Youth Development Fund set out by clear rules and procedures which would allocate a part of oil derivation fund and attract grants and subventions from National and donor agencies for the purpose of youth and socioeconomic development in the state.  The project set off with a social mobilization course tagged #10%4youths aimed at building a public support for the bill and secure commitment from relevant stakeholders.

Project Location: Akwa Ibom State

Project Funder: USAID – Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE)