Grassroots Human Rights Defenders (GHRDs) and social movements play an important role in Kenyan Civil Society. GHRDs are often the ones present on the ground, documenting cases, collecting evidence and speaking to victims and community members. As such, they are very visible and vulnerable to possible aggressors, but may lack the resources and the networks to provide for adequate protection. Since its inception, PBI Kenya has been providing solidarity and protection to GHRDs and support to social justice processes. Additionally, PBI Kenya continues to actively increase the reach and visibility of GHRDs in Nairobi’s urban settlements.
The Police Reforms Working Group Kenya, an alliance of national and grassroots organisations committed to professional and rule of law policing, has issued a statement with its initial response to the Building Bridges Initiative implementation road map, that was launched on October 26.
On September 30, Peace Brigades International-Switzerland Advocacy Coordinator Kim-Mai Vu presented on the human rights situation in Kenya during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) general debate at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
She stated:
“We welcome the important contributions to the UPR of Kenya.
On 17 August, representatives from PBI Kenya and the Social Justice Centres Working Group had a meeting with Peace Cop Kenya to discuss the security concerns of communities, community dialogues, and the relationship between the police and community members in Nairobi’s urban settlements. Read this article, courtesy of PBI Canada, for more information.
The article “UK Lockdown in Perspective: Kenya and Honduras”, by Georgina Pressdee for the UK Country Group of PBI, addresses lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya, Honduras, and the United Kingdom.
Read the full article here.
‘Increased capacities, stronger networks - a pilot project in supporting Social Justice Center Working Group’s members in Nairobi’s urban settlements’ is a project supported with German Federal Foreign Office’s funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen), Funding Programme zivik. This project, that will run from April to December 2020, will build on the results of the Ushirikiano Mwema kwa Usalama project.
Article by Julia Lowis, Barrister, 3 Hare Court
Police violence in the slums of Kenya: “I learned that he had been shot down by a police officer” is a short documentary with Kenyan human rights defender Stephen Mwangi from Mathare Social Justice Centre (MSJC).
Stephen Mwangi, one of our partners from Mathare Social Justice Centre - MSJC, interviewed by main Dutch broadcaster during his visit to The Netherlands. During his stay in Europe, Peace Brigades International - The Netherlands was able to organise a mini speaker tour in Utrecht, The Hague, Amsterdam and Brussels during which Stephen was able to shed light on the ongoing challenges of life in the urban settlements of Nairobi.
23rd June marked the one year anniversary of the murder of human rights lawyer Willie Kimani, along with his client, Josephat Mwenda and driver, Joseph Muiruri. Civil society organisations organised the Machozi Ya Jana (Tears of Yesterday) campaign against extrajudicial killings, highlighting instances and cases of these crimes, as well as bringing members and law enforcers together to dialogue, in order to end the situation.