Over 200 organisations from all over the world have signed on to this open letter endorsing the Nobel Peace Prize for the global community of Human Rights Defenders. The release of the open letter is accompanied by a public petition: Human Rights Defenders for the Nobel Peace Prize, which can be signed here.

Press Statement By NCHRD-U

INTRODUCTION

Civic space in Kenya continues to be under pressure as a range of actions are being directed against the work of Human Rights Defenders (HRD) and Civil Society organizations in Kenya. Physical attacks, criminal and administrative actions, legislative restrictions, negative rhetoric and limitation of human rights have undermined the Constitutional and international protections available to HRDs.

It is against this backdrop that the Working Group on Human Rights Defenders in Kenya, which brings together CSOs and development partners concerned with the protection of HRDs, is organizing the third edition of the HRD Awards on the 30^th of November 2018. The aim of the ceremony is to honour and publicly recognize the important work of HRDs in Kenya, by giving out awards to men and women who have demonstrated courage and impact in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The awards are presented in three categories: the Munir Mazrui Lifetime achievement award, the Human Rights Defender of the year award and the upcoming Human Rights Defender of the year award.

THE OBJECTIVES

The objectives of these awards are to:

1. Honour the extraordinary work of HRDs in the promotion and protection of human rights;
2. Profile the work of HRDs and challenges they face as agents of social change and transformation;
3. Recognise and appreciate the human rights work of young and upcoming HRDs in Kenya and support talent;
4. Enhance the safety and protection of all HRDs in Kenya.

SELECTION PROCESS


• Nomination:

The Working Group on Human Rights Defenders in Kenya develops a call for nominations which is then widely circulated by the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders-Kenya (NCHRD-K) and other partners. This call outlines the criteria for eligibility for nomination.

• Shortlisting:

A panel then shortlists five individuals per category within the set out guidelines for shortlisting candidates.

• Verification:

The panel verifies the HRDs human rights work through field visits, and interviews with the nominators, the nominees and their references.

• Selection:

The Independent Selection Panel, which comprises of eminent individuals in the human rights sector, will decide who will receive the awards based on the profiles of the nominated HRDs.

• Award ceremony:

Will be held on the 30^th November 2018 in the presence of CSOs, the government, selected HRDs, representatives from the international missions, and the media who will cover the event.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The following will be taken into consideration:

• Grassroots based HRD
• Demonstrable impact of the HRDs human rights work in the community
• The role of the HRD in promoting human rights
• ‘Civil courage’ of the HRD in his/her human rights work
• Demonstrated leadership, innovation and creativity in his/her human rights work
• Contribution to the development of a human rights based approach within his/her county in regards to the thematic area of focus
• Future goals and likely impact
• Degree of difficulty of the achievement and sacrifices made
• Visibility derived from award to enhance the capacity of the HRD to promote human rights and active citizenship
• The HRD should have a link to the community and his/her work should have built or should be working towards building a movement.
• The HRD should be a seasoned or upcoming HRD.

AWARD

• Three awards will be presented to the overall winners : the Munir Mazrui lifetime achievement award, the HRD of the year award and the upcoming HRD award.

The winners will receive:

• A cash award of $ 1,000
• A plaque with the HRDs name on it
• And will be guests at the 2019 HRD award ceremony

All nomination forms should be sent back to the NCHRD-K via advocacy@hrdcoalition.org with a clear subject line “HRD AWARD NOMINATION” by 20^th July 2018, 12.00 pm.

Get the application form here:NOMINATION FORM FOR THE HRD AWARDS 2018

Presser-Evans

“Closing Space for Civil Society and Media in East Africa: Forging a Collaborative Response”

23 February 2018 (Nairobi, Kenya)

We, more than 60 civil society organisation and media representatives from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda working on human rights, democratic development, transparency, digital media, women and youth empowerment, legal aid, litigation and other issues of public interest are gathered in Nairobi to express our firm resolve to stand together in solidarity as civil society and media.

We will remain vigilant against threats to civic space. We commit to collaborate and provide support to each other through individual and joint efforts at the national and regional levels to combat shrinking space.

We note with concern a trend of closing civic space in the three East African countries characterized by increasing impunity. This has been evidenced by repressive tactics perpetrated by state and non-state actors, including among others:

• Intimidation of and reprisals against journalists and activists through smear campaigns, arrests, detention and disappearances;
• Enactment of restrictive laws and policies;
• Disregard for the rule of law such as the continued failure in Kenya to operationalize the PBO Act despite several court orders;
• Constraining financing of civil society organisations and media;
• Curtailment of civil society’s and media’s freedom of movement and ability to freely operate especially in electoral contexts;
• Restrictions on access to information through banning of newspapers and shutting down of media outlets and civil society organisations as has happened in Tanzania;
• Surveillance of activists and journalists in physical and digital spaces;
• Criminalization of dissent;
• Use of excessive force to disperse peaceful protests and demonstrations;
• intimidation of the judiciary and other governance and oversight institutions that should be independent; and
• Harassment of civil society organisations by raids, break-ins, confiscation of documents and equipment as has been experienced in Uganda.

We are cognizant that shrinking civic space is not unique to the region but is contextualised by the decline in democratic ideals globally. Governments seem to adopt repressive tactics from each other and use similar justifications to shrink civic space including national security prerogatives and promotion of accountability within the media and civil society sectors.

Further, as civic space advocates, we note that a repressed civic environment adversely affects not only civil society organisations, the media and ultimately other sectors, but also the ordinary citizen, and leads to cultural, economic, political and social decline of a society.

As a coalition, we have identified areas in which joint interventions are necessary and have developed regional strategies and interventions to maintain and claim civic space. We resolve:

• To take joint actions to build mutual understanding and ongoing dialogue between media and civil society;
• To engage in regional advocacy;
• To strengthen protective mechanisms, including litigation and legal aid;
• To develop innovative funding and revenue streams;
• To increase the use and protection of digital space;
• To enhance civil society and media accountability internally and within the political context;
• To work towards redefining narratives and public perceptions of the sector; and
• To mobilize academia in order to leverage knowledge and research outputs.

At the national level, we identified several initiatives to enhance civil society organisations and media cooperation including establishing ongoing dialogue platforms, developing joint capacity building initiatives, building trust, addressing mutual security concerns online and offline, and mitigating risks.

We will engage with other actors including academia, professional associations, young people, and state institutions, to cultivate a broader understanding and appreciation of the role of civil society and media in a democratic society.

We pledge to continue collaborating towards ensuring a safe and enabling space for civil society and media in East Africa.

#CivicSpaceEastAfrica

Download the statement here: http://nchrdk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SOLIDARITY-STATEMENT-East-Africa-Regional-CSO-Media-Workshop-23-Feb-2018.pdf

[The civil society and media leaders were convened for a two- day strategic workshop hosted by the Civil Society Reference Group, a Kenyan coalition whose role is to protect and enhance an independent and effective civil society voice and agency for public benefit, and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), a US-based organisation that has provided technical expertise on laws that govern civil society in over 100 countries worldwide and more than 20 in Africa.]

Aloys Habimana

20 Feb. 18 Nairobi, Kenya:

The National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders-Kenya welcomes the news that human rights defender Aloys Habimana was released from the custody of the Service National de Renseignements (SNR – National Intelligence Services) in Burundi on Monday 19 February 2018.

Aloys was arrested on Saturday,17^th February 2018 near the border of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to Front Line Defenders, he was detained by the Service National de Renseignements (SNR – National Intelligence Services) in Bujumbura for two days without access to counsel. This is contrary to regional and international human rights mechanisms that prohibit arbitrary arrest, right to freedom of movement, the right to liberty and security of person.

“Human rights defenders’ fraternity in the region was deeply concerned with the safety and wellbeing of Aloys while in custody considering that SNR has been responsible for numerous arrests, torture and ill-treatment of human rights defenders and political opponents in Burundi,’ said Kamau Ngugi, Executive Director of National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders-Kenya while welcoming the news of Aloys’ release from custody.

Aloys Habimana is a well known among human rights defenders in the Africa region because of his timely response to those at risk. Aloys is Front Line Defenders’ Protection Coordinator for East and Southern Africa, an Irish based human rights organization that supports and protects human rights defenders at risk around the world. Aloys has worked with Front Line Defenders since 2012

The National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders reminds East Africa states of their commitment to free movement of people across the region and call on authorities in Burundi to cease targeting of human rights defenders.  Human Rights Defenders should be able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and restrictions as decreed by the ‘UN Declaration on Human rights Defenders’, adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/53/144 of 8 March 1998.

For further information contact:

Kamau Ngugi, Executive Director, National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Kenya (NCHRD-K); info@hrdcoalition.org; Tel; +254712632390

_______________________________

National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Kenya (NCHRD-K) is a national organization established in 2007 and incorporated in the Republic of Kenya as a Trust. NCHRD-K mission is to strengthen the capacity of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) to work effectively in the country and to reduce their vulnerability to the risk of persecution.