Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK)

@RCKKenya extends its gratitude to the President, & the Govt of Kenya for the progressive steps towards entrenching legal protection and management of refugees in Kenya & the region at large by signing into law the the Refugees Bill 2019. #refugeebill More:president.go.ke/2021/11/17/p…

📍 Kakuma, Kenya 🇰🇪 Building inclusive communities begins with listening, learning and working together. This week, the Refugee Advisory Committee (RAC), together with @RCKKenya and @DRSKenya, undertook a learning visit to Lodwar, Kakuma, and Kalobeyei in Turkana County, with support from the @denmarkinkenya. The visit brought the delegation into conversation with @TurkanaAssembly , county leadership, ward representatives, humanitarian partners, #refugees and host communities. Through these engagements, RAC members witnessed the urgent needs facing communities, as well as promising initiatives advancing inclusion, essential service delivery and sustainable livelihoods. The learning visit reaffirmed the importance of working alongside government and partners to strengthen inclusive systems, sustain essential services and support opportunities for refugees and host communities to build self-reliance. #KeepingHopealive

LET’S TALK ABOUT HEALTH AND GENDER PROTECTION! How can we strengthen access to healthcare and protection for refugees and host communities? What role does gender protection play in ensuring everyone can access essential services safely and with dignity? Join @RCKKenya on Radio HornAfrik 105.6 FM for an engaging conversation on “Improved Health and Gender Protection.” Refugee Consortium of Kenya Project Officer, Joy Muchemi, and Refugee-Led Organisation representative, Farhan Maow Kedyle, will join host Abdullahi Baalgarooy to explore these important issues and share insights on building more inclusive and responsive services. 🗓️ Date: Thursday, 5th November 2026 🕢Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM 📻 Tune in: Radio HornAfrik 105.6 FM Dadaab. #refugees #protection

Kenya’s good policies should lead to better lives for refugees. In today’s @StandardKenya opinion piece, @RCKKenya Mitchel Ambasu and Shadrack Kuyoh share findings from our Policy Index study in Kakuma and Kalobeyei on access to water, healthcare and education, and what needs to happen next to turn good policy into better lives for refugees and host communities. Read the full article:bit.ly/kenyas-good-policies-… #RefugeeInclusion #ShirikaPlan #RefugeesAct2021 #RCK @DRSKenya @TurkanaAssembly @TurkanaCountyKE @Locham_David @TurkanaTv

Advancing refugee inclusion through stronger partnerships, responsive institutions and inclusive governance. The Refugee Advisory Committee (RAC), led by Dr. Anne Muchiri, and the Refugee Consortium of Kenya, led by @RCKDirector , Mr. Barlet Colly Jaji, paid a courtesy call visit to the Speaker of County Assembly of Turkaana, Rt. Hon. Charles Lokioto. The engagement provided an opportunity to discuss refugee protection, socio-economic inclusion and the role of county institutions in strengthening access to essential services for refugees and host communities in Turkana County. 🎯A key highlight was the County Assembly's amendment of its Standing Orders to establish a dedicated Committee on refugee affairs. This provides an institutional framework for addressing refugee-related matters and creates opportunities for refugees to participate in legislative and oversight processes, including raising concerns on access to healthcare, water and other essential services. In addition, the discussions explored ways to strengthen coordination among national and county governments, humanitarian actors and other stakeholders to translate refugee inclusion policies into tangible action through county development planning, resource allocation and service delivery. Supported by @denmarkinkenya , @RCKKenya through the Inclusive Refugee Response Programme (IRRP), supports refugee inclusion by strengthening county institutional capacity, facilitating policy engagement and promoting evidence-based advocacy. Working with the national government @TurkanaAssembly , @TurkanaCountyKE and other stakeholders, RCK seeks to strengthen the integration of refugee needs and priorities into county policies, plans and development processes. 🎯These efforts advance implementation of the Refugees Act 2021, the Refugees (General) Regulations 2024, and the Shirika Plan, ensuring refugee inclusion is reflected not only in policy commitments but also in public institutions and service delivery. #InclusionForAll #Refugees

POLICY ON PAPER. INCLUSION IN PRACTICE. WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE? Access to healthcare, education and water should not be determined by whether someone is a refugee or a member of the host community. But how far do Kenya’s existing laws and policies go in making this a reality? This Thursday, 5th November, @RCKKenya through the Inclusive Refugee Response Programme (IRRP) supported by @denmarkinkenya , brings together government representatives, the County Assembly of Turkana, development partners, private sectors, refugee-led organizations (RLOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), refugee and host communities in Kakuma for a policy dialogue on advancing refugee inclusion. Drawing on findings from RCK’s bit.ly/LegislativeandPolicyI…, the discussion will explore the gaps in health, water and education policies and identify the actions needed to translate policy commitments into meaningful inclusion. Join the conversation live on @RCKConsortium of Kenya - RCK and @TurkanaTv this Thursday 5th November 2026, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. #refugees #InclusionMatters #FromPolicyToPractice

🔓Unlocking potential, breaking barriers, and driving refugee self-reliance across Kenya. At the conclusion of a high-level, 2-day National Policy Dialogue in Naivasha, 28 national government ministries, county leaders, civil society groups, and refugee-led organizations agreed to advance the ongoing discussion on socio-economic inclusion and integration among refugees and host populations. They developed an action roadmap to fast-track refugee inclusion, which includes expediting refugee ID issuance and enhancing real-time data integration across registration, tax, health, and county platforms. This will enable tax PIN issuance, healthcare access, and the efficient granting of business permits. Furthermore, stakeholders agreed to explore ways to expand the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework, integrate camp schools into government systems, open private-sector job pathways, and train law enforcement officials to ensure harassment-free service delivery. These commitments directly address the primary bottleneck on documentation. As public services transition online, a valid Refugee ID has become the essential gateway to digital inclusion. Delays in document issuance and fragmented inter-agency verification have continuously blocked refugees from accessing tax PINs, business permits, Class M work permits, healthcare coverage, and formal employment, limiting their ability to achieve self-reliance and contribute to the national economy. This roadmap marks the conclusion of the forum convened by @RCKKenya, in partnership with the @NRC_EAY, @hbsHornOfAfrica, and @RESCUEorg under the Refugee Livelihood Coordination Platform. Building on engagements since October 2025, the dialogue evaluated progress on aligning institutional policies with the Shirika Plan and ensuring refugees can access decent work, protection, and fundamental rights across Kenya. The event brought together national government ministries and departments, county governments, and refugee-led organizations' stakeholders, including @DRSKenya, @KenyaGovernors, @NRBKitambulisho, @C_ServicesKE - National Population Data Management, @NCMKENYA, @KRACare, @_shakenya, @HakiKNCHR, @047County, @NPSOfficial_KE, @Ncpwds, @NLASKENYA, @nita_kenya, @NSSF_kenya, @FKEKenya, @nea_kenya, @SP_Kenya, @ubuntu, @WOPEDECBO, and @RefugeeUmoja. #Refugees #refugeeinclusion @ECHO_CESAfrica @UNHCR_Kenya @drckenya @inkomokoKenya @ReDSS_HoA @amahorocoalition @KAM_Kenya @GarissaGov @KenyaGovernors @Garissapress @KNQAuthority @LabourSPKE @ImmigrationDept @MastercardFdn @EUinKenya @NLinKenya @TurkanaAssembly @RefugeesSeat @denmarkinkenya

For many refugees and members of host communities, accessing justice remains a challenge due to distance, limited legal awareness and barriers to essential services. Bringing justice closer to communities is therefore critical in ensuring that everyone can understand, claim and exercise their rights. In a step towards addressing these barriers, Kakuma Law Courts and the Law Society of Kenya, with support from the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) in partnership with @ECHO_CESAfrica , conducted a Legal Awareness Week activity this week under the theme “Bridging the Gap Between People and Justice.” Through the Huduma Mashinani (One-Stop Shop Model), the activity brought together justice and protection services on one accessible platform, enabling community members to access legal aid, legal awareness, counselling, referrals and linkages to relevant institutions. This provided an opportunity for individuals to seek guidance, understand their rights and access timely, survivor-centred and rights-based support. In addition, the activity marked Judiciary's celebration of 10 years of Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) marking a decade of progress in promoting accessible and community-based approaches to justice. Among the key milestones highlighted was the establishment of an AJS Registry at Kakuma Law Courts. The Judiciary also announced plans to map AJS practitioners in Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei to strengthen refugee representation in community-based conflict resolution mechanisms, guided by the AJS Secretariat. The Judiciary delegation was led by Kakuma Senior Principal Magistrate Hon. Joan Ireri and Kakuma Law Courts Kadhi Hon. Jamal Opacha. Through these collaborative efforts, Refugee Consortium of Kenya and our partners continue to promote inclusive and responsive justice systems that recognize the rights and needs of both refugee and host communities. #refugees #protection @UNHCR_Kenya @KanereNews @drckenya @filmaidkenya @NRC_EAY @ECHO_CESAfrica @relon_kenya @DRSKenya @HakiKNCHR @Kenyajudiciary @KituoSheria @lawsocietykenya @Locham_David

🚨RCK Legal Alert ! ⚖️Historic legal win as the High Court restores asylum rights for thousands of Ethiopian and Eritrean asylum seekers. In a major victory for refugees' and asylum seekers' rights, the High Court of Kenya ruled in Refugee Legal Networks & 4 Others v Commissioner for Refugee Affairs & 3 Others (Petition No. E596 of 2025) to quash government directives that suspended the registration of Eritrean and Ethiopian asylum seekers. The Court ordered authorities to immediately resume asylum registration and related administrative processes, declaring that nationality-based restrictions violate the right to fair administrative action, amount to discrimination, and threaten the core principle of non-refoulement. The petition, brought forward with the active involvement of the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), as one of the petitioners, contested the administrative barriers that left asylum seekers undocumented and vulnerable to forced return. The judgment establishes that access to asylum is a constitutional right and an international legal obligation, not a matter of administrative discretion, and affirms that national security concerns should align with the Constitution of Kenya, the Refugees Act, 2021, and international laws. This landmark decision highlights the power of strategic litigation and evidence-based advocacy in holding public institutions accountable. This ruling arrives at a critical juncture, offering timely legal protection as violent clashes in southern Ethiopia force up to 36, 000 people to flee across the border into Kenya seeking safety. Moving forward, RCK remains committed to monitoring the implementation of the Court’s orders to ensure these legal protections translate into meaningful safety, dignity, and fair procedures for all individuals seeking international protection in Kenya. Read more about the ruling: sheriahub.com/cases/ke/casel… Read more about the ongoing conflict in southern Ethiopia: france24.com/en/africa/20261… @legal_networks @ki4bli @KituoSheria @ECHO_CESAfrica @UNHCR_Kenya @EUinKenya @denmarkinkenya @NLinKenya @SegalFoundation @UNOCHA_ROSEA @bodo_immink @IrlAmbKenya @KAS_Kenya @UMC_UMCOR @lawsocietykenya @KBCChannel1 @citizentvkenya @K24Tv @ntvkenya @StandardKenya @NationAfrica

📍 Strengthening Community-Centered Justice in Mombasa County | Shanzu Law Courts As we mark the Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) Service Week 2026, under the theme of "Taking justice closer to local communities," which provide constitutional, low-cost dispute resolution that fosters peaceful coexistence between refugees, asylum seekers, and host communities through dialogue instead of court litigation. As part of this national week, @RCKKenya, in partnership with @HakiKNCHR under Haki na Ushirikiano, with support of @NLinKenya, convened an AJS Forum at Shanzu Law Courts. The engagement brought together 31 participants representing the AJS Secretariat, community elders, religious leaders, and local administration. The dialogue aimed to deepen understanding of alternative justice mechanisms and reinforce the vital role local leaders play in extending access to justice at the grassroots level. The forum championed accessible, affordable, and community-centered dispute resolution pathways such as negotiation, mediation, and conciliation. Particular focus was placed on safeguarding vulnerable and marginalized populations, including refugees, asylum seekers, women, children, and persons with disabilities. Participants reflected on the need for seamless referral networks between informal community structures and formal judicial systems to ensure holistic protection for all. In response, local AJS actors committed to driving continuous community sensitization on legal rights and remedies while ensuring refugees and asylum seekers access dispute resolution services without discrimination. This engagement strengthened grassroots collaboration, empowered local leaders with practical legal insights, and paved the way for dedicated infrastructure through Shanzu Law Courts' commitment to establish a formal AJS suite. As a local Mzee wa Mtaa from Mtwapa noted, these insights will transform how community disputes are managed, since inclusive justice starts at the local level. We continue championing #alternativejustice systems to ensure that protection, dignity, and fair dispute resolution remain accessible to both displaced and host communities.

How far have we come, and what’s next, for refugee self-reliance in Kenya? Building on engagements initiated in October 2025, @RCKKenya, in partnership with @NRC_EAY, @hbsHornOfAfrica, and @RESCUEorg, convened a high-level, 2-day National Policy Dialogue in Nairobi under the Refugee Livelihood Coordination Platform on Refugees' Access to Decent Work and Documentation. The event has brought together 25 national government ministries and departments, county governments, and refugee-led organizations, including @DRSKenya, @KenyaGovernors, @NRBKitambulisho, @C_ServicesKE - National Population Data Management, @NCMKENYA, @KRACare, @_shakenya, @HakiKNCHR, @047County, @NPSOfficial_KE, @Ncpwds, @NLASKENYA, @nita_kenya, @NSSF_kenya, @FKEKenya, @nea_kenya, @SP_Kenya, @ubuntu, @WOPEDECBO, and @RefugeeUmoja. The forum seeks to evaluate progress against the established roadmap, assess what is working within the implementation framework, address ongoing challenges, and identify key actions needed to create a favourable environment for socio-economic inclusion and achieve the Shirika Plan. Throughout the engagement, participants are reviewing progress against the Policy Makers Roadmap on Refugees' Access to Decent Work and Documentation, established in October 2025 and supported by subsequent 2026 coordination sessions. Stakeholders are highlighting active measures to address legal, administrative, and operational bottlenecks, such as delays in document issuance, complex Class M work permit procedures, lack of prior learning recognition, restricted financial access, and fragmented agency practices, while advancing solutions such as establishing one-stop refugee desks at Huduma Centres and integrating centralized data systems across state agencies. As the dialogue concludes, partners will adopt a Joint Action Matrix to serve as an actionable post-dialogue roadmap detailing specific commitments, timelines, and monitoring mechanisms across state and non-state actors. The dialogue will also seek to establish a unified, government-led coordination structure to align institutional policies, streamline administrative procedures, and enforce accountability for refugees' socio-economic inclusion. @MastercardFdn @EUinKenya @NLinKenya @UNHCR_Kenya @SegalFoundation

Strengthening protection through police engagement. In partnership with @UMC_UMCOR, @RCKKenya under the PALM Project held a sensitization session with 7 officers from Sankuri Police Station in #GarissaCounty on refugee rights, protection and appropriate handling of refugees and asylum seekers. The session covered Kenya’s obligations under the Refugees Act 2021, identification of valid refugee documentation, Gender- based Violence (GBV) reporting and referral pathways, and access to RCK’s legal aid and protection services. Through these engagements, Refugee Consortium of Kenya continues to work with law enforcement to prevent arbitrary arrests, detention and harassment, while strengthening access to justice and survivor-centred support for survivors of gender-based violence. #RefugeeProtection #HumanRights #AccessToJustice #GBVPrevention @DRSKenya @UNHCR_Kenya @NPSOfficial_KE

The demands of rehabilitation and reintegration extend beyond the people receiving support to the officers who walk alongside them. As part of activities marking Correctional Service Week 2026, @RCKKenya #mentalhealth and psychosocial wellness session for officers from the Probation and Aftercare Service in Garissa County. The session provided an interactive platform for officers to reflect on their mental well-being, share experiences, and explore practical strategies for managing occupational stress and preventing burnout. The engagement emphasized the importance of self-care, emotional resilience, recognizing early signs of psychological distress, and strengthening peer support systems within the workplace. In addition, the engagement further underscored the need to prioritize the psychological well-being of correctional service personnel, recognizing that mentally healthy and resilient officers are better equipped to provide compassionate, effective, and responsive services to the communities they serve. #KeepingHopealive

Trauma can leave survivors feeling isolated, making it difficult to cope with their experiences and find support. Safe spaces where women can share their experiences and connect with others are an important step towards healing. Through the WEZESHA II Project, @RCKKenya with support from the IKEA Foundation, facilitated group therapy sessions for women survivors of trauma in Garissa. The sessions provided psychosocial support to help women strengthen coping mechanisms, rebuild social connections, and find comfort in shared experiences. “I feel relieved. The group therapy has helped me realize that I am not alone,” shared one participant. The sessions also laid the foundation for continued community support, as participants established a peer support group to sustain their connections beyond the formal intervention. This initiative highlights the importance of survivor-centered psychosocial support in promoting healing, reducing isolation, and strengthening community-led support systems. #KeepingHopealive #keepinghopealive #refugees #mentalhealth

For people who have recently fled their countries and arrived in a new environment, understanding their rights, the registration process and the services available can be challenging. Without reliable information, asylum seekers risk facing prolonged barriers to documentation, protection, food assistance, healthcare and education. Providing timely legal information helps them understand the procedures they need to follow, make informed decisions, identify where to seek assistance and better safeguard their rights and well-being. 💫@RCKKenya in partnership with @UMC_UMCOR under the PALM Project conducted a legal aid and information session for newly arrived asylum seekers in Ifo Refugee Camp.The session provided information on the rights and obligations of asylum seekers under Kenyan law, particularly the Refugees Act, 2021. Discussions covered the principles of non-refoulement and non-penalization, the right to registration and access to civil documentation, as well as refugee status determination process. In addition, participants were also informed about the mandate of @DRSKenya on refugee documentation, management and protection and the different documents they should obtain as they navigate the asylum process. 🎯A key focus was the categorization process and its implications for food assistance. Participants were informed that categorization assesses vulnerability to determine the level of food assistance a person may receive. It was explained that registration with DRS is a prerequisite for categorization, meaning that newly arrived asylum seekers must first complete registration before they can be categorized. Participants identified delays in registration as a major concern, noting that they remain unable to proceed to categorization and consequently face difficulties accessing food assistance while awaiting registration. From the session, participants also familiarized with the different agencies and partners operating in Dadaab and the services they provide. #RefugeeProtection #AccessToJustice @UNHCR_Kenya @hesedafrica @HIASAfrica @OpenSociety @NLinKenya @denmarkinkenya @giz_gmbh @HakiKNCHR @RefugePt @EUinKenya @ECHO_CESAfrica @afsc_org @LWF_Ke @NCIC_Kenya @KAS_Kenya @giz_gmbh @UKinKenya @MastercardFdn

From Commitments to Concrete Action! 📍89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) | Room 005, King Fahd Hotel, Dakar, Senegal 🇸🇳 | Side Event | October 14, 2026 | Advancing Displaced and Host Population Rights on Socio-Economic Inclusion and Education in Africa 🌍 Across Eastern Africa, refugees and forcibly displaced populations continue to encounter daily barriers to their fundamental rights. From restrictions on freedom of movement to emerging regional policies targeting foreign-owned small and informal businesses, these hurdles directly disrupt family livelihoods and severely limit children’s access to continuous, quality education. Addressing these interconnected challenges requires bridging the wide gap between formal legal protections and the daily, lived realities of displaced communities. To tackle these issues head-on, @RCKKenya, @AU_CIEFFA, @RESCUEorg and @LWF_Ke will be hosting a strategic side event at ACHPR, anchored in ACHPR Resolutions 645 and 649, serving as a continuation of our regional advocacy. The session will feature guided, action-oriented discussions designed to connect grassroots evidence directly with continental policy. Deliberations will examine mobility restrictions, define socio-economic inclusion beyond the formal right to work, and advocate for institutionalizing Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) as a rights-based, nationally owned educational priority integrated into host-country curricula rather than temporary, donor-funded projects. Through this engagement, we expect to translate research into actionable policy entry points across the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the African Union (AU). The event aims to foster collaboration with the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, IDPs and Migrants, culminating in a joint Implementation Matrix to monitor commitments, track progress, and hold regional bodies accountable leading into the next ACHPR session. By transforming continental policy commitments into practical, on-the-ground change, we aim to address freedom of movement barriers, protect informal self-employment, and secure inclusive education, ensuring refugees, asylum seekers, and host communities can exercise their rights with dignity and achieve lasting self-reliance. #ACHPR89 #RefugeeRights #SocioEconomicInclusion #EducationInEmergencies #HumanRights @drckenya @FondazioneAVSI @Equal_Reach @RESCUEorg @JesuitRefugee @ki4bli @KituoSheria @Kiva @MigrationPulseH @NRC_EAY @PWJ_Kenya @WeAreRefuSHE @hope2shine @WorldRelief @KBCChannel1 @citizentvkenya @K24Tv @ntvkenya @StandardKenya @NationAfrica @ECHO_CESAfrica @UNHCR_Kenya @MastercardFdn @EUinKenya @denmarkinkenya @NLinKenya @SegalFoundation @HakiKNCHR @DRSKenya @UNOCHA_ROSEA @giz_gmbh @bodo_immink @IrlEmbKenya @IrlAmbKenya @KAS_Kenya @lawsocietykenya @hesedafrica @hbsHornOfAfrica

🎧Missed our live X Space conversation? Don't worry, we've got you covered! Ahead of #WorldMentalHealthDay 2026, @RCKKenya brought together individuals with lived experiences and frontline counselors and protection experts to uncover the raw, unspoken psychological strains faced by refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya. Tune in to hear firsthand stories from behind the counseling room, explore how critical funding cuts are impacting care on the ground, and learn how survivor voices are reshaping mental health policy. Listen to the recording here. 👇 teapawt.org/i/spaces/1yGBePLoVEyKN… @drckenya @HIASAfrica @eu_echo @ECHO_CESAfrica @Amref_Kenya @RefugeesSeat @UNOCHA_ROSEA @RefugeesAfrica @UNHCR_Kenya @EAWellness @WHOKenya @kenya_moh @DRSKenya @afsc_org @migrationke @org_refugeeled @frena_org @relon_kenya @TurkanaAssembly @GarissaAssembly @hesedafrica @giz_gmbh @Uspat6666 @PamojaTunaweza @ICVAnetwork @pamoja_trust @PtnpRefug