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Summary: Summary of the National Consultation for the UN Study on Violence Against children that took place in Kenya from 6 to 7 June 2005.Kenya's National Consultation on the UN Study on Violence against
Children, held on June 6th and 7th at KCCT Mbagathi, brought together
representatives from government, civil society and children themselves to
identify the forms, causes and impact of violence affecting young people.
Their focus was to input into the questionnaire designed to identify
settings in which children experience violence and create awareness on
the availability (or lack) of state systems to respond to their needs.
There were a number of issues arising from the questionnaire together
with the fact that Kenya has taken some initiatives in protecting children
from violence, through intervention in cases of abuse through the
Department of Children's Services, the establishment of programmes to
deal with issues surrounding child labour, abolishing corporal punishment
in schools (though there is evidence that the practice still exists) and
introducing The Children's Act, which is the most comprehensive piece of
legislation in terms of protecting children against violence to date.
However, the questionnaire also notes a number of obstacles including an
increasingly hostile learning environment for female students, low
conviction rates for those accused of violating a children's rights, the
existence of harmful cultural practices such as FGM, early and forced
marriage, and perhaps hidden crimes such as honour killings, infanticide of
crippled or taboo infants.
Finally, it is also a fact that there is currently no law to protect against
violence in the home or child pornography and pedophilia.
As the highlight of child participation, the children drew attention to
deficiencies in societal institutions, advocating for stricter punishments for
those who threaten the security of young people, a nation-wide legal aid
scheme to represent abused children, and calling centres within the
community where such children can report abuses.
They point out the need for child participation and awareness surrounding
issues of violence, including the establishment of Child Rights Clubs, where
young people can learn about and defend their rights.
Finally, they criticised the term "street children", arguing that this strips
individuals of their history and human dignity. They implored the
government to return these children to their homes or to find alternative
accommodation for them.
The children went a step further a developed a charter giving
recommendations on addressing Violence Against Children including the
need for further child participation in making policies and laws that concern
them.