Programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery in Kenya

 

About PLEAD

UNODC co-implements the Programme for Legal Empowerment and Aid Delivery in Kenya (PLEAD), a partnership between the Government of Kenya, European Union, United Nations and civil society that is improving the delivery of justice services and use of alternatives to imprisonment.

PLEAD is anchored in the Kenya Vision 2030 strategy and supports government reforms that are transforming the criminal justice sector. The KES 4.2 billion (EUR 34.15 million) partnership runs until 2022. It is the European Union’s largest justice sector investment in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PLEAD partners seek four main outcomes:

  1. Enhanced access to justice, especially for the poor and vulnerable, focused on legal aid
  2. Strengthened court administration and case management
  3. Increased quality and efficiency in the criminal justice system
  4. Improved cooperation throughout the justice sector.

A second phase of the PLEAD partnership is due to commence in early 2023. See PLEAD II At a Glance.

Our phase one technical support

PLEAD CountiesUNODC is providing a range of technical assistance to five key criminal justice institutions:

While aiming for national impact, PLEAD focuses on 12 counties.

Various activities have supported the justice sector's COVID-19 response in Kenya. See fact sheet.

Also through PLEAD, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working with the Department of Justice in the Attorney General’s Office and Civil Society Organizations to expand access to legal aid.

 

Our phase two technical support

PLEAD CountiesA second five-year phase of the PLEAD Programme began in March 2023. The EUR 35.3 million partnership runs until 2027. See PLEAD II At a Glance.

The Programme’s geographic scope has increased from 12 to 19 focal counties.

PLEAD II will continue to support the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), The Judiciary, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Probation and Aftercare Service (PACS), Witness Protection Agency (WPA, National Police Service and Kenyan civil society organisations.

PLEAD has, in this second phase, been expanded to include the:

  • Kenya Prisons Service
  • Directorate of Children’s Services and the
  • Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission

 

PLEAD II partners seek four main outcomes:

1. The criminal justice system is able to fight corruption more effectively

2. Administration and coordination of the justice sector are improved

3. Competence, quality and efficiency of the criminal justice institutions are increased

4. Access to legal aid, especially for individuals in vulnerable situations, is enhanced

 

Resources

To register for our newsletter and other PLEAD updates please email: unodc-plead@un.org.

Our Videos

About PLEAD

Enhancing child-friendly justice in Kenya

PLEAD Spotlight – Probation Officer Catherine Amugohe