East and Horn of Africa Paralegals Network (EAHPN) Annual Forum
Paralegal networks play a critical role in establishing a link between the informal and formal justice systems in the East and Horn of Africa.

Since August 2010, Kenya has been implementing a new Constitution with an expanded Bill of Rights and ambitious government decentralization (devolution) processes. The transferring of a large number of national functions to 47 newly created county governments has strengthened accountability and public service delivery at local levels. Building on notable progress achieved over a relatively short period, efforts continue to align pre-existing laws with the Constitution and to enact new laws to implement its provisions. Particular focus is being placed on legal interventions that will address issues of transparency, gender equality, peace and security, and the climate crisis.
Kenya is a Member Party of IDLO, and since 2010 the organization has collaborated with the institutions responsible for implementing the key provisions of Kenya’s Constitution, particularly relating to the Bill of Rights, land and the environment, devolution, the judiciary, access to justice and representation of the people. A key component of IDLO’s work is advancing gender justice in the country’s courts and institutions, and operationalizing the gender provisions contained in the Constitution.
IDLO also works closely with the Judiciary of Kenya, including on commercial justice reforms, such as the implementation of e-justice solutions and the establishment of Small Claims Courts, which help to streamline and speed up court processes and expand access to justice. IDLO is also providing technical support to the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Court, and has helped develop policy and legal frameworks on managing and responding to SGBV.
An overview of IDLO's work in Kenya
Paralegal networks play a critical role in establishing a link between the informal and formal justice systems in the East and Horn of Africa.
Violence against women has long been recognized as a global epidemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly escalated threats to women’s safety, security and access to justice.
REGIONAL WEBINAR
Access to Justice in the Context of COVID-19 in East Africa: Experiences from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda
Like all other parts of public life, the administration of justice and access to legal remedies and dispute resolution have been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
IDLO is implementing a project in Kenya and other four countries that aims to strengthen the country’s capacity to promote healthy diets and increase physical activity for the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Program activities focus on capacity building for more effective regulatory and fiscal interventions, supporting the development and use of relevant research, and convening multi-stakeholder dialogues and collaboration between civ
Court Annexed Mediation was rolled out in Mombasa for the Tononoka Children’s Court. The project, led by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Task Force of the Kenyan Judiciary, and supported by IDLO, will set an example for the rest of the country on how Mediation enhances access to justice for children and offer protection for children within the justice systems.
Disclaimer: This event was organized at the beginning of March 2020, before the Kenyan Government put in place restrictions to protect the population from the global Covid-19 pandemic.
There is an urgent need to achieve meaningful equality and gender parity in leadership positions within Kenya’s justice sector, according to a new report.
African high-level jurists, experts and legal scholars are meeting in Nairobi for the East Africa Regional Forum on Alternative Dispute Resolution &