Kenyan Students Launch #CampusMeToo Movement on University of Nairobi Campus

Kenyan students at the University of Nairobi have recently launched the #CampusMeToo movement which aims to tackle the sexual harassment of students on Kenyan university campuses. The movement comes after ActionAid and UN Women teamed up and conducted a survey which reportedly found that 1 in 2 female students and 1 in 4 male students have been sexually harassed to some degree at the hands of staff at Kenyan universities. The student-led Kenyan extension of the now global #MeToo movement also comes after South Africa's #AmINext movement which protested increasing rates of gender-based violence and femicide while the BBC Africa's recent documentary Sex For Grades was an explosive exposé on sexual harassment going happening in West African universities.

Project coordinator for the campaign Macrine Ondigo says, "Sexual harassment targeted at students in higher learning institutions in Kenya is a deeply ingrained issue." Ondigo adds that, "It continues to undermine human rights and unfairly deprives the youth of Kenya a safe environment in which they can thrive, innovate and contribute positively to their personal and educational development."

Part of the demands that the students are making include mandatory induction sessions for newly enrolled students, training sessions for university staff in terms of prescribed sexual harassment policies and the appointment of an investigation committee on all campuses that will handle sexual harassment cases.

Here are a few responses from people on social media showing their support for the movement.