Salome is a woman human rights defender and social justice champion.

Salome has successfully climbed Mt. Longonot, William Hill, Elephant Hill, Mount Kenya and Eburru Mountain

Anthony is a human rights defender and social justice champion.

He has successfully summited Elephant Hill- Aberdares, Point Lenana on Mount Kenya and Eburru Forest.

Patrick successfully summited both Elephant Hill- Aberdares and Kudu Hills

Kepta Ombati is a veteran human rights defender and champions social justice on issues governance, criminalization of youth and extrajudicial killings especially within informal settlements in Urban areas.

Kepta, successfully summited Mount Longonot, William Hill Keraita, Elephant Hill-Aberdares, Lenana point on Mount Kenya and Kudu Hills in Kajiado County.

Patrick Wambugu is a friend of Defenders Coalition. Patrick celebrates the work that human rights defenders do to ensure enjoyment of human rights by all in Kenya.

Patrick successfully summited Elephant Hill in Aberdares in November 2019

Patita Nkamunu is an indigenous women human rights defender from Kajiado County. Patita has benen championing the right of women especially pastoralists and those from marginalised communities.

Patita successfully hiked  William Hill-Keraita, Elephant Hill-Aberdares and point Mt. Kenya in December 2019.

09 March, 2020

25 years After the Beijing Conference: Still Not Doing Enough to Protect Women Human Rights Defenders in Africa

In commemoration of the 2020 International Women’s Day, 12 civil society organisations (CSOs) honor the brave women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in Africa, and worldwide, and call on state authorities to ensure protection and well-being of WHRDs.

In 1995, with the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 189 states opted to remove the systemic barriers that restrain women from equal participation in all areas of life. Now, 25 years later, we are still demanding #EachforEqual.

Through their fight for equality, peace, and justice, WHRDs at all levels of society are daily working to eradicate discriminatory stereotypes, challenge unequal power structures, and promote justice for all. We applaud the WHRDs who continue to raise their voices in a world which is still based on patriarchal norms and misogynistic attitudes. The diverse and essential human rights work carried out by WHRDs make them a cornerstone in human rights promotion.

WHRDs are paving the way for justice. In Sudan, women activists spearheaded the 2019 revolution which ousted the Omar al-Bashir regime. In South Africa, women and girls are at the forefront of the fight for social justice, including female lawyers who bring women’s socioeconomic rights cases to the courts.

WHRDs are paving the way for women’s political participation. The number of women in political leadership positions has increased in Africa. For the first time in Kenya’s history, women were elected to serve as governors and senators in their 2017 election. Currently, fifty percent of Ethiopia’s cabinet consists of women, including many ministerial posts.

WHRDs are speaking up for sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). Women across the continent continue to advocate for SRHR, including at a pan-African level. Many countries in Africa have adopted national laws against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and the rate of FGM has drastically dropped in East Africa. Maternal health has greatly improved, and there has been a significant decrease in maternal deaths.

WHRDs are champions for land rights, and they are advocating to mitigate the effects of climate change. African WHRDs are at the forefront of land preservation and the fight against climate change in Africa, and continue to inspire and to call on state authorities to take action – from the Kenyan land rights activist and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, to young women activists from Nigeria and Uganda, and elsewhere.

The complexity of WHRDs’ challenges, where gender stereotypes and sexual objectification are largely intertwined with traditions and social norms, results in serious intersecting forms of marginalisation. WHRDs are often viewed as provoking gender roles, leading to stigma, ostracism, and attacks – by state and non-state actors.

In addition to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (1948) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981), several significant regional and international frameworks have been adopted to safeguard the rights of women and WHRDs over the past 40 years.

Adopted in 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), described as an international bill of rights for women, sets up an agenda for national action to end discrimination. However, in Africa, Somalia and Sudan are yet to ratify CEDAW.

Adopted in 1995, the Beijing Declaration is seen as most progressive blueprint for women, with 189 signatories, and was set out to remove the systemic barriers that hold women back from equal participation in all areas of life – including the right to protect and promote human rights.

Adopted in 1999, the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) recognises the important role of WHRDs, and outlines obligations of state authorities to protect WHRDs.

Adopted in 2003, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) is one of the most progressive legal instruments providing a comprehensive set of human rights for African women.

Despite these regional and international declarations and treaties, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality. Moreover, several countries have yet to ratify all the instruments. The 2030 agenda is ten years away, and in order to meet the needs and address challenges faced by WHRDs, we need more progressive action by state authorities, and regional and international actors.

We, the undersigned, demand more protection and promotion of WHRDs in Africa,

We call on state authorities to ensure that violations against women human rights defenders committed by state and non-state actors are promptly and impartially investigated and that those responsible are held accountable;

We call on state authorities to recognise and acknowledge the crucial role played by women human rights defenders as an initial step towards their protection;

We call on state authorities to adopt and implement national legislation to safeguard the rights of women human rights defenders, to ensure they work in a safe environment free from attacks, reprisals, and unreasonable restrictions;

We call on state authorities to comply with regional and international legal framework protecting women’s rights and the rights of women human rights defenders, and allow the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to receive individual complaints and launch inquiry procedures, by making the necessary declaration under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and/or ratifying its Optional Protocol (OP-CEDAW), or lifting reservations;

We call on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Special Rapporteurs on human rights defenders, women’s rights, and on freedom of opinion and expression to assess the situation of women human rights defenders and present recommendations to state authorities for the advancement of women’s rights;

We call on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to strengthen and adapt protection mechanisms for WHRDs in Africa, including sensitisation and more awareness campaigns of the existing protection mechanisms;

We call on the United Nations Human Rights Council to continue mainstreaming the promotion and protection of women’s rights, the fight against gender discrimination, and the promotion of gender equality into its work, especially the situation of women human rights defenders and their specific protection needs.

Signatories,

1. Defenders Coalition – Kenya
2. AfricanDefenders (Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network)
3. Civil Rights Defenders (CRD)
4. Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (REDHAC)
5. DefendDefenders (East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project)
6. Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Coalition (EHRDC)
7. Girl Child Network Uganda (GCN)
8. National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders – Uganda (NCHRD-U)
9. Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN)
10. South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network (SSHRDN)
11. Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC)
12. West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN/ROADDH)
13. Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U)
14. Coalition Burundaise des Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme

OSIEA – Executive Director, Job Posting

The Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) was founded in 2005 as a part of the global Open Society Foundations (OSF) network. OSIEA’s vision is ‘a just, inclusive and vibrant Eastern Africa where all people live in dignity, equality and participate meaningfully in society.’

Since 2005, through support to individuals, organisations, coalitions, movements and government agencies, OSIEA has contributed towards efforts to: strengthen democratic governance, rule of law and accountability; protect the rights of the most marginalised including persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, women and youth; promote food security particularly among pastoralist communities; advocate for accountable use of natural resources; and promote inclusive, equitable and sustainable economic growth and economic justice. OSIEA’s contributions have been through grant-making, research and advocacy.

OSIEA seeks an Executive Director to be responsible for developing and delivering on OSIEA’s strategic vision, managing a high-calibre and geographically-dispersed team, and overseeing internal and external processes, in line with the organisation’s objectives, policies and procedures. The Executive Director reports to OSIEA’s Board of Directors and to the OSF network as a whole through the Africa Regional Director.

To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter through OSF’s Global Careers Site by Friday 27th March.

The Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York is opening a new Call for Nominations for the Protective Fellowship Scheme for Human Rights Defenders at Risk. The Centre is looking for up to five defenders who are expected to stay in York for 3-6 months. New Fellows are expected to start in York on 15 September 2020. Nominations for female human rights defenders are particularly welcome.

The Centre for Applied Human Rights in York provides human rights defenders at risk with an opportunity to enhance their research skills and share their expertise with other human rights defenders, academics and students. During their stay they will work on a research project related to their work in their home country/region and attend human rights courses taught at the Centre. The Fellows will be supervised by Centre staff in their research projects. For specific information on eligibility criteria and an overview of the Scheme, please see attached documentation.

Nominations are accepted from recognised civil society organisations and/or organisations working specifically with human rights defenders. Organisations may nominate up to two defenders. Organisations may not nominate their own employees.

To nominate a human rights defender for the Protective Fellowship Scheme,  please visit http://www.york.ac.uk/cahr

Kenya’s 3rd UPR Cycle Pre-Session

Palais des Nations, Geneva

Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Kenya

10th December 2019

On behalf of the Defenders Coalition, which is the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders in Kenya, I thank the Organizers of this Pre-session for this opportunity to raise some of the key human rights defenders concerns from Kenya.

During its second UPR cycle, the Government of Kenya received 11 recommendations related to HRDs, including CSOs and one on peaceful assembly. We are particularly concerned that the legitimate role of protection and promotion of human rights carried on by human rights defenders and Civil Society Organizations is criminalized and target for reprisal by both state and non-state actors. One particular concern and a challenge for us, is the extended use of surveillance by both state and non-state actors, targeting HRD because of the nature of their work, facilitating other abuses of human rights and limiting the freedom to conduct their activities.

The Defenders Coalition has noted the following challenges since Kenya’s 2nd UPR cycle:

Violations of Freedom of Peaceful Assembly; Human  Rights  Defenders  more than often use demonstrations as a form of expression. However,  state  officials have routinely denied or prohibited peaceful assemblies through banning of scheduled protests, arrests of protesters and use of excessive force on protestors resulting  to injuries  and  deaths.  During  its  second  UPR  review,  Kenya  accepted one  recommendation  “to  […]  guarantee  peaceful  assembly  of journalists, activists and participants in demonstrations.” Article 37 of the Constitution protects the right “peaceably and unarmed, to assemble,  to  demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.” However, as evidenced below, the government has failed to realise this recommendation adequately. In the month of September 2019 alone, 43 people were arrested in the course of protests.

• On 5 November 2018, students from Maseno University protesting against the detention of their colleagues were harassed following an altercation with  the  The students alleged that the law enforcement officers harassed them as they sought to file a police report. Later that day, a video and pictures circulated on social media showed protesters posing no immediate  threat  to  public  order or the security of persons being beaten and mistreated by security officer.
• On 19 June 2019, two HRDs were arrested while taking part in a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with the people of Sudan. The arrests occurred despite the fact that the HRDs had notified the central police station of their intention to protest and requested for security.
• According to statistics by Article 19 East Africa,  100 people were arrested between 1 January 2019 to 12 November 2019. Most of these have been university

Threats to Freedom of Association: the government continues to interfere in the operations of NGOs. On 16 August 2017, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), accompanied by Kenyan police officers, attempted to enter the offices of the Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG) without notice and with a defective search warrant. The attempted raid came two days after AfriCOG, together with the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), were served with a notice of deregistration by the NGO Coordination Board.

Harassment, intimidation, and attacks against human rights defenders, civil society activists.

1. Defenders Coalition documented over 50 cases of harassment and intimidation against HRDs. Between January and December 2016, 12 fatalities were recorded when police officers used live ammunition to violently disperse protesters and HRDs. From January 2016 to April 2019, NCHRD-K received over 30 cases of threats and harassment of HRDs, including over 36 cases of arbitrary arrests, and 10 cases of forced evictions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) HRDs.
2. Between January 2016 to September 2019, Defenders Coalition has documented 3 cases of HRDs killed in their line of  duty. They include Students leaders and land rights  HRDs and HRDs advocating for the rights of Indigenous communities.
3. HRDs experienced attacks during the 2017 electoral periods. Human Rights Watch reported that from August 2017-March 2018, police targeted at least 15  activists in Nairobi and Kisumu. Intimidation tactics ranged from threats of arrests and restrictions on freedom of expression, to confiscation of equipment.9

PROGRESS:

Since the last UPR review, the Government has partially implemented the recommendations it accepted to implement. Other than public pronouncements by the investigative agencies (Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Director of Criminal Investigations) at human rights forums, the government has not intensified its efforts to ensure decriminalization of HRDs and recognition of their work. On 22 June 2018, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, through a letter to the Director of Criminal Investigations and Witness Protection Agency, requested the protection of HRDs advocating against lead poisoning in the Owino Uhuru slums (Mombasa).

RECOMMENDATIONS

In light of these updates and observations, we urge the Government of Kenya to:

1. Withdraw the Public Order Act Amendment Bill, 2019 that seek to amend, among others, the Public Order Act and Operationalize the Public Benefit Organisations Act 2013 without delay, and without amendment, and withdraw the Associations Bill
2. Conduct impartial, thorough, swift, effective, and transparent investigations into all cases of attacks, surveillance, harassment, intimidation, and killings of HRDS and bring the perpetrators to justice in fair trials;
3. Adopt a specific law on the protection of HRDs, in accordance with Council resolution 27/31 of the Human Rights Council; and Recognize publicly the important contributions of HRDs to promotion and protection of Human Rights, alongside including specific protection mechanisms for cases of surveillance, harassment, threats, censorship, or other violations to their rights in the context of their
4. To ensure that in the Implementation of the Data Protection Act 2019, human rights defenders will be able to work freely and safely without communication surveillance and mishandling of their That includes establishing a financially and independent protection authority, to properly implement the Law.

Delivered by Francis Ndegwa, Communications Officer, Defenders Coalition