Economic and Social Rights Monitor – Kenya

Decent work is an integral part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to which the Kenyan Government is committed. Nevertheless, poor compliance with laws jeopardizes Kenyan workers’ rights. The country’s youth remains vulnerable to exploitation. In health, Kenya lacks a comprehensive strategy to address the various dimensions of universal health coverage. And in education, the major challenge is quality. Public participation in policymaking is enshrined in law, but it has not been given a concerted definition, something that undermines the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the policymaking process. The space for human rights defenders has been shrinking, and the right to freedom of association is only partially respected.

How can the European Union (EU) better contribute to the development of enabling spaces for CSOs in Kenya? How can the EU support the progressive realization of economic and social rights, namely decent work and social protection for all, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development? Led by the Forum for International Cooperation (FIC), this Economic and Social Rights Monitor (ESRM) summarizes the views of the SOLIDAR network in Kenya on how respond to these challenges.