Kenya grapples with fake news as women, politicians take the hit Article Women politicians and journalists have fallen victim of false information, most often through personal attacks meant to discourage them from politics or silence their voices in the media. Studies by AMWIK, ‘Women Journalists’ Digital Security’ in 2016 and 2017 indicate that social media has been the most used platform for attacks against female journalists, with the most common gendered attacks being cyber stalking, sexual harassment, impersonation with parody accounts, surveillance and un-authorized use and manipulation of personal information, including images, and videos. With more women in the public limelight, it is projected that more will become victims of fake news.
Is democracy on retreat? Kenya after the #Repeal162 ruling Article In 2016, the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC), the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), and the Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western Kenya Network (NYARWEK) together with partners filed petitions 150 & 234 of 2016 respectively, at the high court. These petitions challenged the constitutionality of sections 162 (a), (c) and 165 of the Penal Code of Kenya.
Civic Voices on the State of Eritrea Report Hbs Nairobi supported the convening of a diverse group of 16 Eritrean professionals and intellectuals in December 2018 to discuss the implications of the sudden amelioration of the relationship between Eritrea and Ethiopia earlier in the year. Over the 6 months which followed the workshop, participants engaged in intense consultations and decided to publish their joint reflections just a day ahead of Eritrea’s Independence Day on 24 May 2019.
Call for Papers- Patriarchy and the Roll-back of Democracy in East and Horn of Africa Call for Papers Hbs in partnership with African Feminism seeks academic contributions that illustrate the convergence and/or role of patriarchy in the roll-back of democracy in East and Horn of Africa, as well as the role of feminist theory and practice in widening democratic spaces. We encourage African writers from or working across the region to submit abstracts for papers on a topic of their choice relating to the theme.
Challenges in implementing a Right to Food framework in Kenya Article The article raises key questions that are necessary for setting the context for a Right to Food framework in Kenya. What is food security? Is food security the same as the Right to Food? When a country speaks of having achieved the Right to Food, who is at the centre of its considerations? How is the political economy connected to the realisation of the Right to Food? In his analysis, Philip Kilonzo argues that too much emphasis is placed on agricultural commodities trading from Kenya into global markets and that too little, disjointed and problematic attention has been given to local food needs and livelihoods. This makes the Right to Food in Kenya at best, words in a constitution and at worst, almost impossible to achieve.
How Kenya’s budget policies fail food, nutrition security Opinion Food security is not a problem of production. It is a problem of access and distribution; and, the power imbalance between who is able to do just that — access and distribute. Nothing makes this clearer than waking up to the news of hunger-related deaths in Turkana. There is food in Kenya, so why are the people of Turkana facing starvation?
Kenya's Appeal Court upholds registration of rights body Article The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC), a long-standing cooperation partner of hbs on LGBTIQ issues in Kenya, scored a major legal victory today: The Court of Appeal this morning upheld a 2015 High Court decision compelling the Non-Governmental Organizations Coordination Board to officially register the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) as an NGO.
Hbs hosts a gender forum in Nairobi on bridging gender equality through innovation Event Gender innovation can be defined as innovations specifically targeted at addressing the roots of gender inequality. Gender inequality is a global phenomenon; different methods have been applied to address the diverse forms of gender inequalities in the world over. Decades of implementations have still not seen an end to gender inequalities more so on gender- based violence and sexual reproductive health related concerns. There is need to fast-track gender equality around the world, we need to shift these trajectories, upend existing dynamics, and pursue game changing interventions.
Kenya’s LGBTQ #Repeal162 case ruling postponed Article Article 27.4 of the Kenyan constitution states "The state shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against any person on any ground, including race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, health status, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, dress, language or birth." However, the state and the citizens of Kenya have engaged in the systematic discrimination, stigma and violence against LGBTIQ persons in Kenya.
New Website Documents Extrajudicial Executions in Kenya Article Missing Voices is an effort by Heinrich Boell Foundation and lobby groups under the Police Reform Working Group to track and document all extrajudicial killings and disappearances and follow cases that are in court. The website is a one-stop database of all extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances that happen in Kenya; it explains the circumstances under which the victims were killed and/or disappeared.
