United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

The UNODC Regional Office in East Africa (ROEA)

Visits to Institutions Housing Children in Conflict with the Law in Nakuru and Kericho

NAIROBI - July 2018, The UNODC ROEA is currently working with Kenya's Department of Children's Services to develop a comprehensive and effective rehabilitation and social reintegration programme for young female prisoners and children in conflict with the law. The proposed rehabilitation programme is one of the interventions under the project Preventing Violent Extremism through Rehabilitation, Vocational Training and Social Reintegration in Correctional Facilities in Kenya and Somalia, funded by Canada.

The groundwork for this programme has included visits to selected borstal institutions, child protection centres, remand homes and rehabilitation centres around Kenya. This was aimed at understanding which services and practices are the most relevant and effective in meeting the rehabilitation and reintegration needs of young female prisoners and children in conflict with the law as well as determining the capacity and risk management needs of these institutions.

A delegation which included the consultant entrusted with developing the proposed rehabilitation programme and a Children's Officer visited Nakuru Children's Remand Home, Nakuru Girls Probation Hostel, Kericho Rehabilitation Centre and Kericho Children's Remand Home from 16 to 20 July 2018. In all four institutions the views of both the staff and children were collected.

The mission also met with various actors of the criminal justice chain, including officers of Probation and Aftercare Service, the police and judiciary in Nakuru to gain better insights into the processes and challenges related to cases involving children in conflict with the law. The delegation also sought the views of these actors on diversion programs (alternatives to the criminal justice process).