From early 2016 until 2019, PBI Kenya engaged with Exiled Human Rights Defenders (EHRDs) who have sought refuge in Kenya. Many EHRDs have been targeted by their respective governments due to their human rights work. EHRDs face a series of challenges while living in exile as refugees, including security and protection threats, issues related to seeking asylum, resettlement and documentation, access to resources and services, language barriers and psychological trauma. While some of their difficulties are also experienced by the general refugee population, there are certain challenges that are unique or heightened for EHRDs.
For more information regarding the needs and challenges of EHRDs, read PBI Kenya’s report “Enhancing Support for EHRDs in Nairobi” here. PBI Kenya is currently evaluating its ability and resources to support EHRDs in order to assess the immediate protection needs and challenges that the EHRDs from the region, including Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, South-Sudan and Sudan face.
As of September 2017, almost half a million registered refugees and asylum seekers are being hosted in Kenya, of whom 64,208 are in urban areas (mainly Nairobi).[1] Leaving one’s country and becoming a refugee is usually a person’s last resort; HRDs most commonly become refugees due to insecurity related to their human rights work.
Kenya hosts a large refugee population, including many human rights defenders who have been forced into exile for defending human rights in their home country. Faisal Elbagir is one of these exiles that PBI Kenya has had the privilege to meet.
On 6th March, PBI Kenya hosted the third and final session in our series of workshops examining the issues facing Human Rights Defenders (HRD) in exile in Kenya.
From 21-22 February, the EHAHRD-Net held its third General Assembly in Kampala, Uganda. PBI Kenya had the pleasure of attending the GA of the largest regional network of HRDs, which brought together individuals from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.
PBI Kenya recently hosted two events with a view to inform on how to better support Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) who find themselves in exile in Kenya.