Issue
Kenya’s Constitution requires that no more than two thirds of any one gender represents any elective post. In the 2013 general election only 19 women stood among the 244 candidates that fought for Senator positions in the 2013 General Election and only occupy 9.8 per cent of seats in the Kenyan parliament.
Project
The Institute for Education in Democracy (IED) is now working towards the High Court’s recommendation that positive steps should be taken to increase the representation of women in politics by 2015. It will explore the development of affirmative action in political parties and ensure that the promotion of gender equality is consistent and sustainable, raising the long-term position of women in politics.
The Institute will stage a consultative forum with civil society organisations, political parties and the Registrar of Political Parties to identify strategies for affirmative action. The Registrar – which oversees the law on political parties and has the mandate to ensure gender considerations are integrated into the membership and workings of the parties – will play a pivotal role in the work and will also see its capacity to develop tools to guide political parties in establishing affirmative action regulations built and enhanced. The IED will also develop a new framework with which civil society organisations will be able to monitor the progress being made by political parties on gender equality.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcy8V1a7Ar8?rel=0]
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Issue
The pen and the written word are powerful tools for upholding free expression, cultural rights and democratic governance. Through creative expression, Commonwealth citizens have the ability to advocate for the legislation that underpins these rights.
Project
PEN International (founded 1921) is a global community of writers, who work to promote literature and defend freedom of expression. The organisation will target measures to build capacity, skills and knowledge in order to advocate in favor of freedom of expression. Local PEN Centres will participate in policy training to help with advocacy work on local, regional and international levels and a three-year advocacy strategy will map out plans to engage with regional-level forums such as the Africa Commission on Human Rights.
This work will serve to leverage the voice and influence of PEN Africa Network members in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. PEN members will gain greater understanding of areas including freedom of expression and digital freedom, cultural and linguistic rights and quality education. It will help to empower not just them but the people with whom they work and future generations of writers, journalists and advocates.
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Issue
Following Kenya’s national elections in 2007, heavy violence broke out between the opponents and the victors, which the Kenyan government has been seeking to address in the years since.
Project
Kituo Cha Sheria and REDRESS are empowering people affected by post-election violence in Kenya. The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) set up by the government recommended the establishment of a reparations program which has yet to be implemented. The national judiciary is in the process of establishing an International Crimes Division to try the crimes committed during the post-election violence. In addition, legislation was passed to deal with the vast numbers of internally displaced people (IDP) which has yet to be enforced. So far, these transitional justice mechanisms have not fully addressed post-election violence concerns.
With the aid of a Commonwealth Foundation grant, Kituo Cha Sheria and REDRESS are empowering the people affected by the violence to meaningfully engage in the transitional justice process and ensure their voices are heard. Community based organisations representing people affected by violence, will be trained in human rights and advocacy, enabling them to advocate for their rights in dialogue meetings with national institutions.
Kituo Cha Sheria and REDRESS are both esteemed organisations in the field: Kituo Cha Sheria is a legal aid centre that was established in 1973 while REDRESS has worked to obtain justice for torture survivors worldwide since 1992. Together, they will use the grant to work with civil society organisations (CSOs), with community based organisations (CBOs) and with other local groups to ensure that the transitional justice process in Kenya is victim-centred. “Transitional justice is not only about rebuilding state institutions but it is also about empowering those whose rights were violated. This is why this project makes a difference.” says Beini Ye, Post-Conflict Legal Adviser at REDRESS.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBS7kMf3flo?rel=0]
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Issue
Unequal opportunities for women to access their health rights and unequal social and gender norms that justify the marginalisation of people affected by HIV/AIDS.
Project
KELIN are creating a strong civil society network to help improve capacity to influence policy on HIV and AIDS-related issues in Kenya.
With the support of a Commonwealth Foundation grant, KELIN Kenya will develop networks promoting participatory governance. By enhancing people’s knowledge of human rights and current government policies, they will be better placed to engage in decision making processes.
Roundtable discussions with parliamentarians on discriminatory laws will also inform the future development of policy briefs.
KELIN
KELIN is a human rights NGO working to protect and promote HIV-related human rights in Kenya.
They do this by: providing legal services and support, training professionals on human rights, engaging in advocacy campaigns that promote awareness of human rights issues, conducting research and influencing policy that promotes evidence-based change.
www.kelinkenya.org
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