Gender Forum - Missing Voices: Broadening the Conversation on the Police-Civilian Relationship

INVITATION TO THE GENDER FORUM

TOPIC: MISSING VOICES: Broadening the Conversation on the Police-Civilian Relationship 

On Thursday, 28th January 2016

At the Kenya National Theatre, Harry Thuku Road Nairobi

(Opposite Norfolk Hotel)

From 4.00 pm to 6.30 pm

ENTRY FREE

Synopsis:

Police-civilian relationships in Kenya continue to be tense, in part due to very visible instances of police misconduct, in part due to low levels of public awareness on the rights, obligations and duties of citizens vis-à-vis the police, and in part due to a number of highly-visible incidences of police misconduct. Allegations of extra judicial killings, enforced disappearances, collective punishment of entire communities amongst other high profile accusations have soured police-civilian interactions and fostered a culture of mistrust and violence. Public engagement with allegations of police misconduct tends to be framed around discrete events, instead of having a constructive, long term engagement on how to work together to build a better Kenya. In the same breath, conversations tend to be stilted towards men of different ethnic groups and silent on how women, the elderly or members of smaller ethnic communities interact with the police.

The gender forum will bring together stakeholders to not only bring focus to this critical conversation, but also to broaden the terms of reference under which the conversation is conducted. What is the public perspective on the relationship between civilians and the police and what is the practical impact this has on security in the country?

Our panel will be encouraged to bring in perspectives that are not ordinarily seen in these conversations – the voices of women, the elderly, the police, smaller ethnic groups etc. – with a view towards reigniting dialogue and creating space for a positive engagement.

The forum seeks to explore:

• What are the obstacles towards having better police-civilian relationship?
• In what ways does the police-civilian relationship impact the rights of women, the youth, people with disabilities etc?
• Does the Kenyan public trust the police?
• What is needed in order to improve the relationship between the police and civilians in Kenya?

Discussion Panel

L. Muthoni Wanyeki, Regional Director for East Africa, The Horn and the Great Lakes, Amnesty International

Ruth Mumbi, Activist

Wanjeri Nderu, Social Media Activist and Programme Coordinator, Empowering Communities for Change (ECCO)

Moderator – Yvonne Okwara (KTN)