News from RCK - RCK Bulletin
RCK conducted a community forum for the Gambela community at the Gambela Primary School in Kakuma refugee camp on 28th July 2011. About 150 participants attended. The forum was intended to sensitise the community on the Refugees United (RU) project, to train the community on RU registration and how to use the tracing tool, to provide awareness on the work of RCK and basic training on sexual and other offences affecting refugees.
RCK was invited to a regional workshop convened by IGAD (Inter-Governmental Agency on Development) as a platform to discuss migration and human security in the IGAD region. The objectives for the workshop were identified as follows:
Read more: Discussions on Security, Migration and Development
The International Detention Coalition (IDC) convened an Africa Regional Immigration Detention Workshop to bring together various civil society groups in Africa to explore issues relating to immigration detention and to share ideas in combating various detention practices and policies in effect in the continent. The workshop began with a focus on the international and regional legal framework relating to the detention of refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants.
The IASFM conference held in Kampala, Uganda on July 3-6 brought together a wide-range of academics and practitioners working to mitigate issues that arise from forced migration and displacement – ranging from the legal, structural and political. The conference also discussed the mechanisms that drive migration from development-induced displacement, environmental displacement (cyclical and man-made), conflict-induced displacement and socio-economic displacement.
Read more: IASFM 13 – An Overview of Governing Forced Migration
In implementing the Kenya Constitution (2010), the Government of Kenya with the support of stakeholders is developing new laws and reviewing existing laws in line with the provisions of the Constitution. RCK is participating in the review of five immigration laws that impact on refugees. These are; the Refugees Bill, the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Bill, the Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Service Bill, the Identification and Registration of Citizens Bill and the Births and Deaths Registration Bill. These laws portend fundamental changes to the structures governing refugee protection and citizenship and thus call for a multi-stakeholder, participatory consultative process.
Kiunga to Lunga Lunga: Refugee Protection Trends and Practices in the Coastal Region
RCK with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) undertook a monitoring mission at the coast from June 12-19, 2011. The mission sought to identify, clarify and illuminate emerging concerns associated with refugee protection in the Coastal region of Kenya.
UNHCR is finalising the change in camp leadership structures; unifying the various tribal based leadership structures into one comprehensive one through which camp-based organisations can engage with refugees. There has been dissent from some tribes alleging that their interests will not be adequately represented or prioritised if other tribes or nationalities head the leadership but UNHCR camp management is instead focusing on how best to facilitate this, such as through a camp constitution instead of whether or not it should happen.
Clients visiting the RCK Legal Aid Clinic come with legal as well as social concerns. The Psychosocial department conducts individual counseling, home visits and group therapy sessions to support the psychosocial needs of these clients.