Nepal’s institutions of higher education have of late unfortunately come to be linked with misogyny, sexual misconduct and harassment. Despite tall claims of gender equality, a conducive learning environment and zero tolerance for harassment, these institutions continue to fail their female and non-binary students.

Take the case of the country’s biggest and largest, Tribhuvan University. In 2019, Krishna Bahadur Bhattachan, a sociology lecturer was accused of harassing female students for years. Similar cases of sexual misconduct surfaced in 2022 at the university, raising concerns over the lack of effective policy over sexual harassment. One research among some female students of the TU Central Department of Education also highlights the disturbing prevalence of verbal abuse at the institution. But TU is not an isolated case. Five former female students of artist and instructor Gopal Das Shrestha, also known as ‘Kalapremi’, spoke out last December about sexual abuse and harassment they faced from him—at his Kalapremi Ceramics studio or Kathmandu University—as reported by Nepali Times.

These cases represent only a fraction of the actual number of cases as many students, out of social stigma and fear of academic retaliation, choose to remain silent. But, only this month, a student, Sandhya Gautam, at Kathmandu School of Law, publicly called out the college administration for ignoring her sexual misconduct complaints against the executive director, Yubaraj Sangroula, and other faculty members. Her complaints went unheard for three months, obliging her to take the case to Instagram. More than 150 alumni have since come forward in solidarity and demanded an impartial, external probe headed by investigators who respect women and queer folks.

Yet, despite the growing testimonies, the issue remains unresolved, with authorities allegedly keen on institutional whitewashing. Formation of a toothless “investigation committee” under KSL’s managing committee, which includes Sangroula, is a clear case of conflict of interest. The officials went so far as to file a case against Gautam. The alumni are also receiving threats from the college authorities, keeping them from disclosing the abuse and harassment they faced. The institution seems intent on snuffing out the allegations rather than let a fair investigation determine if Sangroula is guilty or not. Neglecting issues as serious as sexual harassment in KSL—which, in Sangroula’s words, is a “reputed institution with a history and contributions to the legal field and the country”—is bound to embolden predators and send a dangerous message throughout the country.

Survivors of sexual misconduct experience severe psychological stress as well as social stigma. We only need to look at Prakriti Lamsal’s suicide case at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University in Odisha, India, to understand the tragic turns sexual violence cases take if the victims’ concerns are not addressed on time. Moreover, research shows female students often resort to self-harm, perform poorly in academics, lose motivation and feel powerless if they continue to be neglected.

With mounting cases of sexual misconduct, abuse and harassment in educational institutions, it’s time to bring about meaningful reforms, survivor-centred policies and genuine accountability. The once-accused predators of TU are still roaming free even as the university pledged to establish a reporting mechanism. The country’s reputed learning institutions still lack survivor-centred policies and measures to address sexual misconduct and harassment reports. Most importantly, the authorities lack the will to act. Our educational institutions must set a precedent by holding the predators to account.

A learning environment where all students feel heard and safe is non-negotiable. If we are a functioning democracy that is committed to protecting the rights of all its people, female students and non-binary folks should not have to suffer these kinds of blatant abuse.