Kenyan Lawmakers Urged to Strengthen Protections for Refugee Women
Nairobi, 25 August 2026
Kenyan MPs and rights groups have united to demand stronger, enforceable laws that address the severe barriers to justice faced by vulnerable refugee and host community women.
Addressing Legislative Gaps and Systemic Barriers
A high-level advocacy dialogue, convened under the Haki na Ushirikiano Project and supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has brought together key Kenyan legislative and human rights bodies [1]. The two-day forum included representatives from the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), the Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC), the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), the State Department for Gender Affairs, the Nairobi County government, and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) [1]. The central objective was to address the acute safety and legal challenges faced by displaced women and girls, specifically within regions such as Kakuma and Kalobeyei, by aligning local integration policies with gender-sensitive protection frameworks [1].
Evaluating Existing Frameworks
During the discussions, participants critically evaluated the implementation of Kenya’s current legal instruments, including the Refugees Act (2021), the Sexual Offences Act (2006), and the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011) [1]. Despite the existence of these statutory protections, delegates identified systemic barriers that continue to impede access to justice for refugee women [1]. These challenges include displacement-related vulnerabilities, limited access to essential legal information, language barriers, social stigma, and a lack of structured coordination among key state institutions [1]. An attendee noted that legislation can only transform lives when it is fully understood, implemented, and accessible to those it aims to shield [1].
Implementing Concrete Policy Reforms
To bridge these operational gaps, the dialogue focused on enhancing the implementation of the National Policy on Gender and Development [1]. RCK and KEWOPA led discussions on targeted legislative reforms to mitigate Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and dismantle barriers to justice [1]. The stakeholders emphasised that robust protection systems require seamless cross-sectoral coordination between Parliament, national and county governments, constitutional commissions, and civil society organisations [1]. Moving forward, participants committed to transforming these recommendations into legislative and policy actions, prioritising increased funding for survivor-centred services, stronger oversight of current laws, and enhanced accountability mechanisms for GBV prevention [1].