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Saferworld-In-Kenya-Leaflet.Pdf SAFERWORLD IN KENYA 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 Africa, 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, Asia and Europe. Our office in Nairobi serves as the planning regional headquarters for our Kenya and Horn of Africa 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 Arms Trade Treaty (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 arms control 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.
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