Moses Okinyi
Through the Human Rights Program (HRP), ICJ Kenya is implementing a project aimed at ring-fencing constitutional, legislative and policy gains on human rights at the national and regional level. ICJ Kenya through its paralegal network has continued monitoring and documenting human rights violations across six (6) regions in Kenya; Taita Taveta, Meru, Laikipia, Kwale, Kitui, and Transmara.
On 23rd and 24th August 2019, ICJ Kenya Human Rights Protection Program team was in Meru partnering with ICJ Kenya Meru Paralegal Network to conduct a community sensitization forum and legal aid in the County.
Members of the community were mobilised from all over Meru County and the sorroundings to attend the forum which was held at the Gakoromone Market in Meru Town. Being a market day members of the community turned out in large numbers and benefited from legal services on land, succession, family, human rights, alternate dispute resolution and accident compensation among others. Most of the cases in Meru are land related.
“ICJ Kenya has the mandate to promote and protect human rights, advocate for the observance of rule of law, and promote democracy and good governance through the application of legal expertise and international best practices,” said Santana Simuyu, ICJ Kenya’s HRPP Officer.
She said that many citizens still cannot access justice despite provisions of Article 48 of the Constitution that guarantees every Kenyan the right of access to justice on an equal basis.
ICJ Kenya used the platform to build the capacity of the communities at the grassroots through provision of free legal aid services to the indigent persons who cannot ordinarily afford or access the services of an advocate.
The Meru Paralegal Based Community Organization was registered in 1999 under the Ministry of Social Services as a Community Based Organization (CBO). The CBO is based in Meru town and is managed by a County Coordinator.
It currently has a total of 25 active paralegals who volunteer to provide legal aid services. The CBO has not only assisted many clients through ADR mechanisms but also through access to justice in the courts. The organization’s mission is to reach many people in the larger Meru County by conducting outreach and awareness creation on human rights.
With the support of ICJ Kenya, the paralegal networks have made significant milestones which includes, expeditious settlement of civil disputes at the community level through alternative dispute resolutions mechanisms. They have also enhanced engagement and partnerships with the courts and the county governments’.
Despite the notable milestones, the paralegal networks are faced with challenges which affect their work including: insufficient funds to reach community members who need their voluntary services, lack of organized internal structures and leadership, limited numbers to satisfy the demand for paralegal services etc.
ICJ Kenya has continued to offer technical support to the paralegal networks to establish clear organizational structures and develop a case database for the cases they handle. This will support their applications for accreditation under the Legal Aid Act, 2016.
Next the team is headed to Transmara and Kisii regions for the same.
