STRENGTHENING HUMAN RIGHTS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN KENYA

Period: January 2014 – December 2016
Client/Partner: International Juvenile Justice Observatory

The objective of this EU funded project, led by the Italian NGO CEFA Kenya, was to contribute to eradicate all forms of violations of human rights within detention and custodial facilities in Kenya, strengthening Human Rights Defenders and National Security Organs.

This research on human rights in the criminal justice and correctional system in Kenya was carried out to provide evidence based recommendations on human rights’ protection and violations’ prevention. It was aimed to target institutional actors, policy makers and practitioners to build evidence-based plans of action and to establish monitoring and reporting systems.

As a child justice expert for the project partner the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO), I conducted this study using primary data – collected through direct observation and face to face semistructured interviews to inmates and prisons’ officers – and secondary data gathered from desk review of the legal framework, statistics, reports from state and non-state actors who work in the criminal justice system in Kenya, and other relevant literature.

With the logistic support of the leading partner CEFA, I travelled the country to conduct visits in 25 correctional facilities and in the 28 statutory child justice institutions, interviews to detainees and officers, and interviews to key stakeholders.

Project led by the European Committee for Training and Agriculture (CEFA), in partnership with Faraja Foundation, Ft Grol’s Welfare Trust (FGWT), Kenya Prison Service, the Judiciary, the Probation and Aftercare Service Department, the Department of Children Services, the National Police Service, the Kenya National Commission of Human Rights- KNCHR. Co-funded by the European Union.