GENDER AND Human RIGHTS

The work we do in our programmatic areas, strategies and the activities we deploy to achieve our mandate are closely linked and overlap each other in implementation. Our efforts to stream out Sexual/Gender Based Violence, fight HIV/Aids Stigma, Gender prejudice and cultural norms are basically the activities we implement in gender and governance rights.

The following sub-activities point to our various efforts towards Gender and Governance Rights that cut across other areas of implementation including Sexual/Gender Based Violence and HIV/Aids interventions:

  1. Training of beach management unit leaders

    2. It is a fact that the main perpetrators of S/GBV are men. Devlink ensured that men are the target group of the project and are greatly involvement in the project. The training of the beach management unit leaders who are mainly men was to capacity strengthen the men on human rights and S/GBV ,understand why there are a lot of gender based violence in the beach community and educate them on how to respond to cases of violence in the community. The training has led to the formation of “Men for women’s rights movement” to monitor and educate the community on human rights and stop cases of S/GBV against women and girls.

  2. Paralegal training

    3. Paralegals are monitors of S/GBV and play the role of ambassadors against sexual gender based violence in the community. The organization therefore embarked on training paralegals by giving them skills in various areas. This included:

    • Legal skills

      • Paralegals should have some knowledge of the various aspects of the law pertaining to their communities. In Kenya where we have both formal and customary law as well the informal means to settle disputes. They should also be familiar with their political and legal systems and the various judicial and quasi judicial systems

    • Ability to work with people
    • Communication skills

      • A paralegal should possess or develop the skills to write down thoughts clearly and coherently for documentation and reporting. These skills are also needed for obtaining statements from potential parties and witnesses for cases to be taken to court.

    • Leadership skills
    • One who inspires ,who is respected, is humble
    • Ability to conduct research on their own concerning any problem
    • One must have the skills of counseling and negotiation
    • Administrative skills
    • Evaluation skills

      • Paralegals should also know the Culture of the community they work with and their religion In the training active participation was realized and an action plan developed which was to be evaluated in three months. The training has resulted to increased awareness on S/GBV and its health impacts to the community members. Most of the victims of S/GBV are also reporting cases in order to access justice.


  3. Gender Desk Location

    4. Gender Desks are strategic locations that monitor and report gender injustice to women and children.Individuals stationed at the Gender desks are trained paralegals who monitor and will act as representatives in the fight against gender based violence and root for gender and governance rights

    Creation of Gender Desks

    3 gender desks have been created in Mbita, Central and Gwassi divisions to monitor cases of S/GBV. This was done on 15th July in Kiabuya Gwassi Division, 17th July Litare beach Mbita division, and 20th July in Roo Central Division. The Gender Desks are manned by trained paralegals chosen during the paralegal training. The paralegals will be responsible for educating the community on prevention and handling cases of gender based violence, they will also be responsible for reporting and recording the cases from the community and referring the cases to the responsible structures for assistance. The paralegals will further ensure that there is improved communication between the community and the provincial administration to ensure that victims access justice.