Kenya

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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

Access to Justice in the Context of COVID-19 in East Africa

REGIONAL WEBINAR

Access to Justice in the Context of COVID-19 in East Africa: Experiences from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda

Rule of Law in the time of COVID-19: Kenya

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.

Call for Concept Notes - Kenya

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

Protecting children: Court annexed mediation in Mombasa

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.

Women judges in Kenya: Closer to parity, far from meaningful equality

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.

Nairobi Forum: customary justice applies norms as practiced by people

African high-level jurists, experts and legal scholars are meeting in Nairobi for the East Africa Regional Forum on Alternative Dispute Resolution &

East Africa Regional Forum: Alternative Dispute Resolution & Customary and Informal Justice

East Africa Regional Forum - Alternative Dispute Resolution & Customary and Informal Justice: Advancing SDG16 and Pathways to Justice

E-court processes in Kenya promote access to commercial justice

Ongoing automation processes are transforming Kenya’s judiciary into a fully-fledged e-court.

Women judges: actors and factors of peace and security

“Women’s participation is not simply ‘the right thing to do’. It can also lead to better justice outcomes and experiences,” stated IDLO’s Director of Programs Erwin van der Borght at the opening of the Regional Symposium of African Women Judges held in Fes, Morocco on October 10, 2019.

Key Initiatives

Global RECAP: Capacity building to prevent NCDs

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill 15 million people between the ages of 30 and 69, and over 86 per cent of these "premature" deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.The economic impact, including loss of income by people harmed by NCDs, the costs of treatment, and the impacts on families threaten international development. Through regulation and fiscal reforms, countries can promote healthy diets, physical activity, and other initiatives reducing the prevalence and harms of NCDs.
Mainstreaming biodiversity in Kenya

Traditionally under the remit of environmentalists alone, biodiversity has now been recognized in the 2030 Agenda as a key element of global development that should be integrated across all sectors. Kenya’s Constitution includes provisions related to environment and natural resource management, which has given impetus to new laws, policies and other enabling legal instruments at the national and county levels.
Access to Justice in Kenya

The Constitution of Kenya requires the Government to facilitate access to justice for all citizens, as it remains a critical pillar for poverty reduction and sustainable development. To this end, IDLO has been supporting the Kenyan judiciary since April 2012 to strengthen its capacity to administer and enhance access to justice for all Kenyans.