Kenya Urged to Enforce Laws Protecting Refugee Women from Violence
Nairobi, 11 August 2026
Despite strong legal frameworks, systemic gaps leave refugee women highly vulnerable to violence, prompting Kenyan parliamentarians to demand urgent, coordinated action and funding to enforce protective laws.
Addressing Critical Gaps in Refugee Protection
Kenyan lawmakers and human rights advocates have issued an urgent call to address systemic failures in preventing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and to implement gender-responsive laws to protect refugee and host community women and girls [1]. Led by the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) under the Haki na Ushirikiano Project, a high-level advocacy dialogue recently brought together key stakeholders, including the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), the Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC), and the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) [1]. Supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the dialogue highlighted that while robust legislative frameworks exist—such as the Refugees Act (2021), the Sexual Offences Act (2006), and the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011)—significant barriers prevent their effective execution on the ground [1].
Overcoming Barriers to Justice
Despite these protective laws, refugee women and girls in areas like Kakuma face immense hurdles, including limited access to legal information, social stigma, language barriers, and poor institutional coordination [1]. This disconnect means that statutory protections often remain “paper commitments” rather than active safeguards [1]. As one participant in the dialogue noted, a law can only change lives when it is fully understood, implemented, and accessible to those it is designed to protect [1]. To bridge this gap, the RCK plans to leverage strategic partnerships with Parliament to secure adequate financing for survivor-centred protection services and ensure refugee voices directly shape national decision-making [1].
Decentralising Care and Gender Policies
The push for local-level implementation of gender-responsive frameworks extends beyond refugee-hosting regions to other parts of Kenya. On 10 August 2026, ICRW Africa, in partnership with the County Gender Sector Working Group, convened the “County Care Champions, Inclusive Dialogue and Advocacy Action Lab” in Vihiga County [2]. Operating under the “Driving Awareness and Action: Kenya National Care Policy 2025” project, this initiative aims to translate national commitments into practical county-level actions [2]. The dialogue brought together civil society, care workers, older persons, and persons with disabilities to identify systemic barriers and formulate concrete policy and financing demands [2].
Constructing Responsive Support Systems
By utilising data, stakeholder mapping, and advocacy planning, the Vihiga County dialogue seeks to build inclusive, gender-responsive care systems that recognise, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work while strengthening social protection [2]. Similar to the goals of the RCK dialogue, this initiative establishes clear responsibilities and accountability mechanisms to ensure no vulnerable group is left behind [1][2]. By aligning national legislative efforts with localised, well-funded enforcement strategies, Kenyan advocates and policymakers hope to transform theoretical human rights protections into tangible safety and support for women and girls across the country [1][2].