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To champion the safety, security and wellbeing of Human Rights Defenders.
MEET NOMINEE 4 OF 7 IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY – KELLY KARIMI RWIGI
MEET NOMINEE 4 OF 7 IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY – KELLY KARIMI RWIGI
Kelly Rwigi is a child and women’s rights advocate. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Enlightened Generation International(EGI), a community-based organization based in Chuka, Tharaka Nithi County, that advocates for and protects children and women’s rights. Founded in 2017, EGI has rescued over 150 children and donated Reusable Sanitary Towels to over 1,200 girls and women in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The organization has been active in anti-FGM, ending early marriages and rescuing abused children throughout the county in its four years of operation.
In 2020, Kelly received the Head of State Commendation for exemplary community service for efforts towards child protection and advocacy in Tharaka Nithi. The award came with recognition from local and national media and the general public. Since then, she has participated in various technical working groups and forums on important issues such as ending teenage pregnancies, ending FGM and other forms of Gender-Based Violence.
In 2021 Kelly was recognized on Citizen TV as Mwanamke Bomba. The visibility enhanced her work, where she rescued and took over 20 children to schools and homes, helped several teenage mothers during their journey, and donated food and clothes to over 15 households. Kelly has distributed sanitary towels to more than 500 girls and offered sexual health and reproductive rights education to more than 1000 teens.
Through her organization, she is currently putting up a children’s centre to provide good shelter for children rescued from abusive, harmful or vulnerable environments.
MEET NOMINEE 3 OF 7 IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY – DAHIR DAUD
Dahir Daud Ahmed is a passionate human rights defender and paralegal in Tana River County. He actively started defending human rights back in 2010. He was motivated due to the rising number of arbitrary arrests by police, widow inheritance against their will, poor service delivery by the government, forceful evictions and lack of good leadership.
His focus area is women’s land rights, reproductive health rights and good governance, specifically ensuring the county government’s resources are spent prudently and citizens get service delivery.
Some of his achievements include stopping the forceful eviction of bulla salama village by the National Irrigation board, which claimed that the land belonged to them. Dahir organized community protests, and the land was eventually given to the residents of bulla salama. As a paralegal, he helped 7 widows file matrimonial property cases in hola law courts, and three cases were concluded in favour of the widows. Dahir drafted two petitions to the county assembly against 4 chief officers for gross misconduct, abuse of office and misappropriation of funds. One chief officer was removed from office, and the three of them surcharged the amount of money they could not account for, which served as a deterrent to the other county officials.
Dahir is a full-time human rights practitioner who encourages other human rights defenders to cater to their financial well-being. He operates a cybercafé and earns from his facilitation as a certified budget trainer on the devolved system of governance.
MEET NOMINEE 2 OF 7 IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY – MORAA OBIRIA
Congratulations on your nomination!
Moraa writes investigative and in-depth stories and editorial opinions. She also publishes podcasts. Every piece of her story is about advocating for the rights of all. From highlighting the work of human rights defenders to reporting on sexual harassment among male journalists to sexual exploitation of children in tourism, her journalism is purely human-rights-based.
While working at the Nation Media Group(NMG), Nakuru regional office in 2013, Moraa built her name as a writer with a deep interest and passion in human rights, gender, governance, climate change, and the environment. One outstanding outcome of her journalism work was being nicknamed “Ogiek” because she consistently and extensively wrote about the tribulations of the Ogiek minority community. In 2016 she joined Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program as a communication development consultant before the management took her on as a media and communication officer. She not only raised the visibility of her organization but also created partnerships with like-minded human rights organizations before returning to full-time journalism.
Due to her human rights reporting, Moraa is a multiple award-winning journalist, feted by the Media Council of Kenya, National Gender and Equality Commission, and UN Women. Last year, her investigative story on cross-border female genital mutilation between Kenya and Uganda won her Journalists for Human Rights Award in the print category. At the same time, she was in second place in Usawa Awards by the National Gender and Equality Commission. The award recognized organizations and individuals who have made tremendous efforts in championing gender equality and inclusion in Kenya. In 2017, she also won the impact AFRICA award for her investigative story on the challenges women with disabilities face while seeking maternal health services.
In this year’s Media Council of Kenya Annual Journalism Excellence Awards, she came second in the Development reporting, digital category for her story on Why Kitale men are warming up to Kangaroo Mother Care. For the second time, her report on Inside the Kenya-TZ cross border FGM earned her second place in the Gender reporting, digital category. She is also a finalist in the 2022 UN Women Gender Journalism Awards.
Moraa is a Journalists for Human Rights trainee and a member of the Association of Media Women in Kenya. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in Gender and Development Studies at Kenyatta University.
She lives by the mantra, “I cannot change anything without doing something.” So daily, she is motivated to write stories that bring change to our society.
STATEMENT TO CONDEMN ATTACK ON NATION MEDIA GROUP JOURNALIST – MR. MUIRURI MWANGI – IN MURANGA COUNTY
The National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders in Kenya condemns the attack on Nation Media Group journalist Mwangi Muiruri by policemen attached to H.E Dorcas Gachagua.
The attack on Mr. Muiruri happened on Thursday, 25 November 2022 while in the line of duty while covering a food distribution exercise presided over by the second lady Dorcas Gachagua.
We are concerned that the attack is an assault and a violation of the rights of those who bear the duty to inform and educate Kenyans. Further, the attack is by an officer of the constitutional office that should guarantee law and order in the service and protection of all Kenyans.
The Defenders Coalition must remind such rogue officers that Article 34 (2) of the CoK 2010 provides that the State shall not interfere with any person engaged in broadcasting, production or circulation of any publication or the dissemination of information by any medium; or penalise any person for any opinion or view or the content of any broadcast or publication.
Police brutality and excesses against journalists is not a new phenomenon. Defenders Coalition has documented various violations in the past including
Defenders Coalition reiterates that for all Kenyans, including journalists, to be truly safe and their rights protected, police must conduct themselves in an accountable, professional, and human rights compliant manner. In the same breadth, any officer who violates the laws that they are sworn to protect must be investigated and prosecuted.
We therefore recommend that
*ENDS*
The Defenders Coalition is a national organization that works to champion the safety, security, and well-being of human rights defenders by strengthening their capacity to work effectively and to reduce their vulnerability to the risk of persecution by advocating for a favourable legal and policy environment in Kenya.
For more deatails, please contact Obino Nyambane – Communications 0716 200 100 obino@defenderscoalition.org / info@defenderscoalition.org
www.defenderscoalition.org
Download statement here
MEET NOMINEE 1 OF 7 IN THE HRD OF THE YEAR CATEGORY – WHITE EAGLE CBO
The White Eagle is a grassroots community-based organization of fisher folks that was registered in 2019. It currently has 354 members that receive community development empowerment solutions and innovative products to access social, economic and developments right in Lake Naivasha through its programs.
Through their advocacy work, the White Eagle has influenced policy at the county level and made public interest advocacy to the county government of Nakuru. Among others, it has sought implementation of a motion passed on 10 August 2018 by the Nakuru County Assembly seeking the reopening of grabbed corridors. Due to its impact, local hotel companies have targeted and sued the White Eagle and its members. The government deregistered the CBO in 2022 due to their advocacy work on access to the lake Naivasha corridor. However, following advocacy, the registration was reinstated.
Winning this Award will enhance their advocacy and act as a strategy to showcase their work as a human rights organization.
MEET NOMINEE 6 OF 6 IN THE UPCOMING HRD OF THE YEAR CATEGORY – LISA GEM
Lisa is a 10-year-old, grade 4 pupil from M.M Shah Primary School in Kisumu and is a human rights defender who believes she was born to change the world through her words and actions. Her starting point was with children and the environment because that is where she found a home. She desires every child to enjoy life and a loving upbringing free from abuse and lack of necessities.
Through her advocacy actions, Lisa has conducted campaigns supporting pediatric cancer survivors, ecological justice, and the rights of health workers in Vihiga and Kisumu County. She also petitioned the Kisumu County Government to invest in pediatric cancer management at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Lisa also started Children’s rights clubs in 5 public schools in Kisumu. She spends her free time doing sanitation campaigns in Manyatta and Mamboleo settlements in Kisumu and teaching children photography as a communication tool.
Lisa enjoys playing scrabble, modelling, dancing, and storytelling in her free time.
MEET NOMINEE 5 OF 6 IN THE UPCOMING HRD OF THE YEAR CATEGORY – GRACE KALEKYE
Grace Kalekye Mwangangi is an anti-human trafficking advocate and intern at Free the Slaves, a journalist and musician. In 2018 she was trafficked to India and forced into sex work, an experience that inspired her to become an anti-human trafficking advocate. Since 2019 when she returned to Kenya, Grace has been using TV, radio and online platforms to share her story and create awareness of human trafficking.
Being an anti-human trafficking advocate has opened opportunities for Grace, which have helped her grow as a leader and expounded her network to other human rights defenders. She hopes to one day have her platform where survivors will tell their stories and connect victims to their families. Grace also intends to work with government agencies, non-governmental organizations and religious leaders to advocate for strict anti-human trafficking policies and frameworks.
Human trafficking is a sensitive area due to its illegality and criminal nature. However, Grace loves her work and is willing to continue the cause to help others who may find themselves in such situations.
MEET NOMINEE 4 OF 6 IN THE UPCOMING HRD OF THE YEAR CATEGORY – BILLY HANI
Billy Hani is a queer artist and activist based in Kenya. They use writing and photography to explore African queerness, sexuality, gender identity and expression, bodies and mental health. Billy co-curates HeART Out Kenya, an art therapy initiative for feminists, LGBTIQ+ folks and activists. Billy’s feminism and activism are grounded on Queer Joy and Rest.
Billy started activism in 2018 through education on LGBTIQ+ issues on Social Media. They first volunteered as a Sexual Reproductive Health Rights advocate at Q-Initiative Eldoret, where they championed the rights of Sexual and Gender Minorities. Over the past five years, they have advocated for LGBTIQ+ rights online and physically in different local and national spaces aiming to improve understanding, acceptance and the upholding of LGBTIQ+ people’s rights in Kenya.
They have written extensively on the issues that Sexual and Gender Minorities go through and continue to document similar stories through writing and photography. As an activist, Billy believes that education and accurate information are necessary to realize LGBTIQ+ human rights. Billy’s articles can be found in FemInStyle Magazine, Minority Africa, Adventures From the Bedrooms of African Women and The Continent, among others. Currently, they are working on using art to promote mental wellness, especially among activists and feminists, through HeART Out Kenya, which they co-founded in 2021.
MEET NOMINEE 3 OF 6 IN THE UPCOMING HRD OF THE YEAR CATEGORY – ITEN INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION (IIEC) CBO
Iten Integrated Environmental Conservation (IIEC) is the secretariat of the Elgeyo Marakwet CSO network composed of 54 CSOs spread across the county. It was registered as a CBO on 10/05/2012 and draws its membership from individuals and self-help groups. Their vision is to be the leading agent in community transformation in livelihoods, poverty eradication, enhanced capacities, good governance, social justice, environmental and water conservation, and resilience in Elgeyo Marakwet County and beyond.
The CBO aims to enhance the capacities of their communities on environmental issues and the link between poverty and the environment. It also deals with environmental justice, human rights and advocating for Human Rights Based Approach in programming and good governance
IIEC has engaged in many activities, including tree planting and providing remedies to the recurrent environmental disasters in Elgeyo Marakwet, such as landslides, droughts, drying of lake Kamnarok, dwindling forest cover, unsustainable agricultural practices, erratic rainfall, famine and poverty.
IIEC has conducted 10 social audits and 15 community scorecards to exert accountability on government funded projects. This has yielded results in terms of corrective actions and minimized pilferage of public resources. It has also trained its civic educators on chapter four of the constitution on human rights. Since its inception, the IIEC has monitored and reported human rights violations such as defilement and misappropriation of funds. Through the CBO, 10 cases of misuse of funds have been reported to EACC. IIEC has organized demonstrations and petitions to compel the government to take corrective action. These are; Kocholwo on police brutality, Iten on overcharging of traders, Sengwer on the provision of electricity and Kapkitony on impassable roads. In the run-up to the Elections, IIEC conducted civic and voter education, enlightening voters on the contents of the constitution as well as the voting process.
IIEC believes that education is one single weapon that can change a society. Through its well educated and resourceful members, the CBO has been engaging in motivational talks in Secondary and Primary Schools. They provide moral support, inspiration, and advice on behaviour change, children’s rights, life skills, choosing careers and succeeding in exams.
