The University of Zambia has apologised to its female students for a poster urging them to stop visiting the library "half-naked" - because it distracts male counterparts. The notice had divided opinion among both male and female students, with an umbrella body of Zambia’s civil society organisations condemning it.
The offending poster has since been removed.
Christine Kanyengo, the university’s librarian, said in a notice: "We would like to unreservedly apologise to our female library users for any offence caused." She added:
The said poster does not reflect who we are; we are a space that promotes access to all our library materials to people from all walks of life. We urge all our female University of Zambia Library users to feel comfortable when using their library.
The University of Zambia has no dress code. Tolerance and diversity is the bedrock of our institution; the University of Zambia Libraries will not tolerate old discredited misogynist views in our space.”
Third-year student Dikina Muzeya, who had criticised the new rules, told the BBC that the apology was "welcomed".
She added:
In the future, they should really mind not being sexually bias. Both genders need to be treated equally. The library management should be more conscious about notices that are published, especially notices involving restrictions such as dress code on a particular sex."