SAFERWORLD IN about us

Since 2013 Kenya has undergone a paradigm However in spite of this momentum, several underlying “ We believe that everyone should be able to Our goal is to ensure that accountable governance, shift in its governance structure from a causes of conflict remain, which have the potential to lead peaceful, fulfilling lives, free from fear security and justice provision results in sustainable peace centralised political system – blamed for vast severely affect Kenya’s safety and security. Insecurity and insecurity.” for all people in Kenya. has risen dramatically in the country – there have been inequality, exclusion and deep divisions – To do this, we: regular attacks claimed by the armed group al Shabaab, Saferworld is an independent international organisation to a devolved system of governance in which including large-scale attacks on a shopping mall in working to prevent violent conflict and build safer lives. n promote good governance, including inclusive 47 county governments have powers over local Nairobi and a university campus in Garissa, the latter We are a not-for-profit organisation with programmes decision-making that involves a cross section of society social, economic and political development. which killed over 100 people. The population remains in 20 countries and territories across , the Middle n introduce conflict-sensitive practices to county This transformation is part of the important deeply divided; al Shabaab attacks threaten to drive East, and . Our office in Nairobi serves as the planning regional headquarters for our Kenya and religious divisions in the country, while tensions over n deepen our understanding of local perspectives on constitutional, legal and institutional progress Programmes. Saferworld has been working in Kenya since land and access to resources continue to drive violence at security and justice in order to inform policy-making, that has been made in Kenya under the 2010 2000 on issues of conflict mitigation, community security the local level. Justice for past political violence remains particularly around police responsiveness and constitution and has empowered Kenyan and policing. unresolved, undermining prospects for reconciliation accountability people to play a more active role in their local between ethnic communities and for improved trust n work with communities to understand appropriate governance and peace structures. in the security services. Comprehensive reform of the strategies for addressing the proliferation of small arms police – as envisaged in the 2010 constitution – has and light weapons (SALW), feeding into national reform started, but has been beset by delays and internal wrangling. n work at the national level to lobby the government to ratify the (ATT) n improve capacity to undertake conflict analysis and identify early warning mechanisms in the region. Our Our approach work Applying Conflict-Sensitive Approaches

We take a people-centred approach to tackle issues Devolved governance has the potential to transform Conflict analysis processes in the three counties causing insecurity, whether they emerge from peace, Kenya, increasing local accountability and transparency identified key areas for action, including the need to security or development deficits. Some of the core and boosting citizen participation in decision-making establish mechanisms that ensure equal and increased approaches and values underpinning our work include processes. However, a number of challenges are emerging participation of different community groups within conflict sensitivity, gender sensitivity and a multi-level in the way devolution is being implemented. These the counties in decision-making and implementation approach. This involves combining national level include a limited understanding within administrations processes. Saferworld equips communities with advocacy with activities and technical support to peace about the roles and responsibilities of county and information on devolution, particularly on their role – and security structures at the county and community national administrations, and low levels of public provided by the constitution – in holding county level. Saferworld’s experience has shown that using awareness limiting the extent to which citizens have been institutions to account and operating as checks on the evidence from local interventions increases the able to engage in decision-making processes and hold abuse of power. At the ward level in Isiolo and Kisumu effectiveness of the advocacy for structural change at officials to account. At the local level, devolution has the counties, we are enabling communities to organise the national and international level. Our programme potential to reproduce the national ‘winner-takes-all’ themselves in ways that will ensure that they are a therefore seeks to use evidence and analysis to influence political culture centred on ethnic competition for credible force and are able to engage with county the policies and legislative agendas of the Kenyan resources and power. If these dynamics are replicated in institutions with a collective voice. In Moyale sub-county national government, county authorities and state the new county structures, they risk fuelling grievances in Marsabit, Saferworld is supporting community-level agencies including the National Police Service and the that have contributed to violence in Kenya for decades. dialogue between and within groups in conflict in the National Steering Committee on Peace Building and county, supporting them to come together to discuss, Conflict Management (NSC). What we do identify and adopt solutions which can end the conflicts In response to these challenges, in Isiolo, Kisumu and between them and enable them to more collectively Marsabit Counties, which have a history of both resource- engage with the county government on county planning based and politically instigated conflicts, Saferworld is and development. working to influence and support both national level Saferworld is using lessons learnt from the three counties devolution institutions and county governments to adopt to influence national-level structures to emphasise and conflict-sensitive approaches to implementing devolved support the integration of conflict sensitivity in the governance. implementation of devolution.

Tackling the proliferation of Tackling small arms proliferation small arms and light weapons

What we do In West Pokot and Isiolo Counties we work with Kenya is a champion of at the international Saferworld works to reduce the misuse of SALW through In addition, Saferworld has worked to enhance partners SIKOM and Isiolo Peace Link to build local level, but locally the country continues to face an community-driven security interventions to increase transparency and accountability to the local community communities’ access to security services and increase uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light trust between security providers and communities. We by training the NPR on the laws and protocols their ability to hold local government institutions to weapons (SALW), which poses a serious security threat support arms reduction initiatives nationally and in governing their arms management, and has facilitated account for issues relating to arms. to its people. Facilitated by leakages from government two pilot counties, West Pokot and Isiolo, working with accountability forums between the NPR, the local armouries and uncontrolled border points that allow three partners: SIKOM, Isiolo Peace Link and the Kenya authorities and communities. We use evidence from illegal firearms to enter from neighbouring countries, the National Focal Point on SALW. communities in these counties to feed into national and influx of SALW in frontier areas means that communities international processes aimed at targeting the misuse We bring communities and security providers together to We facilitate the work of feel increasingly insecure, particularly as many of these of SALW, connecting global policy to community-driven communities in identifying identify and address problems facing their communities. communities do not receive adequate policing services approaches to security. This includes input into measures the key threats increasing This puts affected communities at the heart of the numbers and misuse of from the state. to improve the Government of Kenya’s stockpile small arms and light weapons, prioritisation, planning, implementation, and monitoring and then support their efforts management; supporting efforts to institutionalise As a result of their feelings of vulnerability, many and evaluation of programming. Engaging communities to address those threats. national and inter-community dialogue using community communities are arming themselves to fill the void left to identify their local problems led to the identification We use our learning from security approaches; and enhancing policy, legal and these communities to by inadequate state provision of security services. The of concerns around the effectiveness of national institutional reforms in the country. Good practices and influence national debates perception in many areas is that accessing and possessing monitoring of the National Police Reserve (NPR) and the on SALW and the way in lessons learned on standards and guidelines related to which in the international weapons gives security. However, at the same time, many weapons in their possession in both counties. In response, stockpile management from this approach have been community implements people acknowledge that their weapons have not led to Saferworld and partners supported local police stations the Nairobi Protocol, the effectively shared among member states under the UN Programme of Action any positive changes in the local security situation and in the counties to develop and operationalise electronic (PoA), the Arms Trade Treaty auspices of the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit have not made them safer. databases to record and monitor their local NPR weapon as they relate to the Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) as well as management of SALW. stockpiles. These are also monitored by arms monitoring other regional and international SALW processes. teams, which include members of local communities, We then promote communities’ active ensuring they continue to play an active role. participation in national programmes to reduce the numbers of small arms in circulation and promote security.

saferworld’s experience Supporting responsive policing in policing

What we do Saferworld’s experience in policing: While police reform legislation and policies are in place Building on previous successes in working on police Saferworld and Usalama have supported the National n we pioneered a community-based policing in Kenya, their implementation has been slow. Prolonged reform in Kenya, Saferworld and partners are working to Police Service to review their Service Standing Orders and programme with buy-in from the National state-centric policing characterised by human rights promote the development of an accountable, responsive accompanying regulations, including key guidelines on Police Service violations, impunity and corruption has generated an police stations which operates within a legal, institutional accountability and professionalism among police officers. n we provided technical support for the overall lack of confidence in the security and justice and administrative framework that guarantees a role This includes the use of force and firearms, community development of the National Police Service system, particularly the police. Reform processes have for civil society to promote democratic policing in policing, and regulations for the establishment of County strategic plan started to address these perceptions, supporting partnership with communities. We have worked with Policing Authorities. We have also worked to support the the police to become increasingly professional and 13 communities and police services to enhance trust establishment of the Internal Affairs Unit, promoting a n we have undertaken substantial legislative accountable to Kenyans, reorganise their approach in line between the two, and have seen tangible improvements culture of accountability within the police, and to support development and lobbying work since 2008 with international best practice, and improve the welfare within communities. At the local and national levels the decentralisation of accountability into the counties. under the umbrella of the Usalama Reforms and support that members of the police receive. we support the police in their reform efforts by directly Forum, which has played an important role in engaging with them, and we work with Usalama Reforms developing the new constitutional and legal However, insecurity is rising, and with it Kenyans’ sense Forum, an umbrella network of civil society organisations, framework for police reforms of frustration in the police. There is a risk that this will be to promote public accountability over the security n we have worked with the National Police used by opponents to prematurely end the wholescale services and to end impunity for abuses. Service and civil society to benchmark reform of the police and remove a nascent culture of professional standards, which supported the transparency and accountability. The critical challenge for process of establishing the Internal Affairs Unit supporters of police reform in Kenya remains to protect advancing reform processes against these forces and to n we have developed innovative tools translate reforms into tangible results at the community for monitoring crime trends and police level. performance, such as ‘crime clocks’ at police stations and an SMS platform known as Utumishi. research programmes case study: Promoting peaceful and secure elections in Kisumu

“ We learned that unless we move out and There were grave concerns that the 2013 Kenyan An indication of the effectiveness of this approach Saferworld is engaged in two major research projects speak to the people we might do very little national elections would see a repeat of the 2007–08 was apparent when local police were prepared to in Kenya. Working with LCPI, Saferworld is undertaking as many people don’t know the importance bloodshed, which left 1,300 dead, 600,000 displaced, and consult with the forum and civil society organisations, research that focuses on the incorporation of formal and underscored deep divides over land, ethnicity, and access including Saferworld and LCPI, before responding to informal security reform in political settlements. This seeks of the need to keep peace. But when you to political power. Ahead of the March 2013 elections, early warning information – a remarkable change in to establish how the implementation of the National speak to them they come to understand Saferworld identified six counties: Isiolo, Kisumu, Nakuru, dynamics given the context. Accord and Reconciliation Agreement, which brought an and they respond in a positive way.” West Pokot, Nairobi and Mombasa as potential hotspots end to the 2007–8 post-election violence in Kenya, and Solomon, community member, Kisumu for election violence. “ As a mother it was important for me to be ’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005 In Kisumu County, mistrust of the police ran deep, so part of the peace process the people who are contributing to the long-term mitigation of conflict a major shift in thinking was needed. Initial conflict were killing and getting killed were like and insecurity; and the impact of security reforms in prevention steps taken by Saferworld and partner our husbands and our sons, this caused me ensuring durable political settlements in Kenya and organisation Local Capacities for Peace International . much pain. So as a mother I felt affected from (LCPI) involved establishing and working with a peace all sides and decided to join the movement In partnership with the Institute Of Development Studies and security coordination forum. This included youth, for peace and educate the women as the at the University of Sussex and the Centre for Human community members, religious representatives, security Rights and Policy Studies (CHRIPS), the second project services and the government. The forum identified areas perpetrators and the victims of violence examines how and why local efforts are of concern, creating a risk map of potential hotspots for returned home either to their wives or mother succeeding in minimising violence in traditionally under- conflict within the county. Supported by Saferworld, the I chose to start there as the women had the developed, rural areas where there are major investments. group then discussed how to work together to defuse better chance of bringing about peace.” The research examines the consequences of new large- tension and create intervention strategies to prevent Grace, Isiolo scale investments on local institutions, relations, conflict outbreaks of violence. dynamics and violence in Kenya and Sierra Leone, and seeks to understand measures that can be undertaken at both policy and practical levels to promote conflict- sensitive approaches to such investments. Contact us saferworld in kenya [email protected] office For further information about us and our work, PO Box 21484-00505 please visit www.saferworld.org.uk/Kenya or email us at 1st floor Titan Plaza Chaka Road [email protected]. Nairobi, Kenya You can keep up to date with our work by signing up at Phone: +254 (0)20 2713603/2733250/2736480/84 www.saferworld.org.uk/stay-informed or by following us Web: www.saferworld.org.uk on social media. Twitter: @saferworld

The Kenya programme receives generous funding from a range of governments and Saferworld is a UK registered charity (1043843) institutions including the Netherlands, UK and Finland Governments, the European and a Company Limited by Guarantee (3015948) in England and Wales. Union and from organisations including DAI’s Drivers of Accountability programme, photographs © saferworld/abraham ali or saferworld IDS and IDRC. elections case study © commonwealth images