ICJ Kenya’s Paralegals Training on new Legislation and Documenting HR Violations

The Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) in partnership with Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) has been working towards Strengthening Good Governance, Accountability, and the Rule of Law in Kenya in the context of the 2010 Constitution, and in Africa, by promoting the adoption and implementation of international human rights standards. The approach focuses on deepening public participation in democratic process, promote respect for human rights and accountability for gross human rights violations, strengthen institutional capabilities, monitor implementation of constitution 2010 and promote transparency and accountability.

Towards promotion and respect for human rights in the context of Constitution 2010, ICJ Kenya coordinates community paralegal centres and community based organisations to monitor and report human rights violations and to conduct legal aid and awareness.

ICJ Kenya conducted Trainings for Paralegals on monitoring, documentation, reporting and redress for human rights violations at the grassroots level. The first training was held from 10^th to 12^th in Taita Taveta County and 12^th to 14^th January 2019 in Kwale County.

The trainings focused on substantive and administrative fundamentals for effective monitoring, documentation, reporting and redress of human rights violations at the community level. It also focused on building the capacity of paralegals as grassroots/community based service providers to deliver substantive legal services at the grassroots level.

The aim of the trainings was to enhance the knowledge base of paralegals on new and emerging laws that guide access to justice processes for potential and actual victims of human rights violations. Further, the training focused on strengthening new and existing networks with grassroots/ community based organizations in the administration of justice and the referral channels in the justice system.

 Through these series of trainings planned across the country we aim at:-

• Improving the paralegals understanding of the changes in family laws that affect access to justice for victims of human rights violations including the Marriage Act 2014, Matrimonial Property Act 2013, the Protection against Domestic Violence Act 2015 and the Sexual Offences Act 2006. This knowledge will inform the quality of legal advices the trained paralegals subsequently give to the grassroots communities.
• Improving their understanding of the emerging laws that facilitate access to justice for human rights violations, more specifically the Legal Aid Act 2016, the Witness Protection Act 2010 and Small Claim Courts Act 2016. This knowledge will inform the administrative steps taken by paralegals in legitimizing their trade and ensuring substantive paralegal service delivery.
• Enhancing their understanding of the Court Users Committees and their prospects as an avenue for monitoring human rights violations by the paralegals.
• Improving administrative capacity to sustain the paralegal networks through informed fundraising, office management, ethical standards and substantive paralegal service delivery and strengthening their network building skills and harnessing synergies with likeminded partners at the grassroots level for effective administration of justice to grassroots communities.