Kenya Urged to Strengthen Laws Protecting Displaced Women and Girls
Nairobi, 14 July 2026
Following a landmark parliamentary dialogue, Kenyan lawmakers and human rights groups have demanded urgent legal reforms to protect refugee women and girls from gender-based violence and systemic barriers.
Evaluating the Legal Gaps in Refugee Protection
The two-day advocacy dialogue, which concluded yesterday on 13 July 2026, was held under the auspices of the Haki na Ushirikiano Project [1]. Organised jointly by the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) and the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), the forum sought to address deep-seated legal and systemic gaps that leave displaced women and girls highly vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV) [1]. By bringing lawmakers together with human rights advocates, the initiative aims to translate legislative frameworks into practical, protective realities on the ground [1].
Analysing Existing Legislative Frameworks
A key focus of the dialogue was evaluating the implementation of Kenya’s existing statutory protections, including the Refugees Act (2021), the Sexual Offences Act (2006), and the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011) [1]. While these pieces of legislation provide a strong theoretical basis for protection, delegates noted that their enforcement remains highly inconsistent within displacement contexts [1]. The discrepancy between legislative intent and local enforcement continues to leave refugee women and girls exposed to systemic harm [1].
Addressing Regional Challenges in Turkana County
The discussions brought together a diverse coalition of stakeholders, including the Gender Violence Recovery Centre (GVRC), the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), the State Department for Gender Affairs, Nairobi County, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands [1]. A primary geographic focus of these deliberations was Turkana County, a region that hosts vast numbers of displaced people and faces unique safety and legal challenges [1].
Distinguishing Kakuma and Kalobeyei Contexts
Within Turkana County, humanitarian efforts must distinguish between the long-established Kakuma refugee camp and the newer Kalobeyei integrated settlement, which operate under fundamentally different administrative and socio-economic models [GPT]. While Kakuma is characterised by a traditional, encampment-based assistance model, Kalobeyei is designed to foster self-reliance and integration with the host community [GPT]. Although the dialogue highlighted the need for unified legal protections across Turkana County, specific, separate policy instructions for Kakuma versus Kalobeyei were not explicitly detailed in the public proceedings [1] [alert! ‘Specific separate legal instructions for Kakuma versus Kalobeyei were not detailed in the official dialogue brief.’].
Overcoming Systemic Barriers to Justice
The stakeholders identified several critical barriers that prevent refugee women from accessing justice and survivor-centred services [1]. These include limited access to legal information, language barriers, social stigma, and inadequate coordination among key institutions, all of which impede the reporting of GBV [1]. Highlighting these challenges, a dialogue attendee observed that ‘a law can only change lives when it is understood, implemented, and accessible to the people it is meant to protect’ [1].
A Multi-Sectoral Roadmap for Reform
To bridge these gaps, an ongoing policy reform process was officially initiated yesterday on 13 July 2026, aiming to strengthen the implementation of the National Policy on Gender and Development [1]. This initiative will focus on improving multi-sectoral coordination between Parliament, national and county governments, and civil society to enhance GBV prevention and survivor protection financing [1]. As participants from the Refugee Consortium of Kenya and the parliamentary dialogue concluded, ‘stronger parliamentary engagement is essential to ensuring that policies move beyond paper commitments to tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls’ [1].