Kenya

A group of Kenyan artists affected by extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances is using its talents to spotlight the abuses. They speak truth to power, risking their lives to bring a just society. 

“The right to life is the most fundamental of human rights, and extrajudicial killings violate this very fundamental right, which is protected under various international human rights mechanisms and treaties.” Examples are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Constitution of Kenya also protects the Right to Life.

‘Saba Saba - then and now’ documents the perspective of activists who participated in the struggles in the 1990s: their aspirations, their cause and the hurdles they encountered. How did they overcome those hurdles and at what risks did this come?

Then the film zooms in on the organizing going on today. What are the struggles, what is the response of the governments and how are human rights defenders supported? There are lessons learned from then and now.

2021 was a year of regenerating so much of what was lost, put on hold or forgotten the year before with the Covid-19 pandemic. Priorities and plans have shifted and PBI, along with so many other organisations, has been reflecting on and adjusting our work to ensure that the protection we provide to human rights defenders (HRDs) across the world remains relevant and responds to their urgent needs.

“A picture is worth a thousand words” is an adage that we all know and it is one example of

‘HRDs in action’ is a photobook that portrays the grassroots human rights defenders of the social justice centres in action.

Making Space for Dialogue – Women Rights Defenders in Nairobi, Kenya is a conversation with Catherine Wangui, WHRD Toolkit Organizer and Florence Mwikali from Peace Brigades International - Kenya Project.

We discussed solidarity, networking and the Mulika Wabakaji campaign. We also talked about feminism, what a gender-equal society looks like and how men can support women’s rights.

PBI Kenya, together with other PBI entities and the members of the Social Justice Centres Working Group held a virtual speaker tour between 20th November to 10th Dec 2021. The speaker tour addressed the following issues with the UN officials, foreign governments, international NGOs, and fellow HRDs from other countries: violations of freedom of peaceful assembly, extrajudicial killings, the 2022 general elections and the safety of HRDs.

With support from ProtectDefenders.eu, the Mulika Wabakaji Campaign Consortium launched the Mulika Wabakaji campaign. “Mulika Wabakaji” can be translated to ‘expose perpetrators of rape and defilement’. The campaign addresses the low conviction rate of perpetrators of rape and defilement and was initiated by the WHRD Toolkit Organisers.

Now, the Mulika Wabakaji Campaign Consortium consists of 25 like-minded partners who work in synergy. The campaign was launched on 8th December and is expected to run for a period of 3 years.