The Faculty of Information at Cairo University has launched a project for its students, asking them to compile accounts of sexual harassment in order to highlight this pervasive issue in universities. Through the use of media campaigns, students and employees are encouraged to narrate incidents they are exposed to within the university.
The program has been called "Narrate."
The project was initiated under the supervision of Professors Mona Magdy and Enas Abu Youssef, at the Faculty of Information, and in coordination with the counter-harassment and violence unit.
"We started the campaign on 24 December to collect 50 stories. We have collected 25 stories so far and we have received additional testimonies from other universities. The difficulty we are facing is the fear of storytelling, but the campaign ensures confidentiality and anonymity," said campaign member Soha Abu Zaid.
The first case of harassment was confirmed in the Faculty of Economics and Political Science as a result of collective complaints against a professor, Abu Zaid said.
Abu Zaid added the professor was suspended from work.
"One hundred and fifty complaints have been compiled and delivered to the unit, which have, in turn, been submitted to the university administration to take legal measures," Abu Zaid mentioned.
The campaign's activity is open to receiving complaints from students, faculty and staff on social networking sites. The campaign will carry out several activities on 8 March, Women's Day, she said.
The campaign is not only geared toward females. For example, a complaint was received from an employee stating a girl harassed him.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
