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Hakijamii operates with the mission of strengthening peoples’ capacity to effectively and directly participate in advocating for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights.
Hakijamii works with marginalized and vulnerable groups in Kenya, forming a national and international network advocating for realization of rights in community outreach, education, land and housing, and water and sanitation
Kenya is home to many of the world’s slums (informal settlements), including one of the largest in Africa, Kibera. Over 60 percent of the population of Nairobi lives on 5 percent of the land, typically in one of its many settlements. Those living in the settlements face substandard conditions, lacking access to basic services such as water, sanitation, education, and security. For decades, the Kenyan government has carried out mass forced evictions in the settlements to make way for government projects and private developers, with no effort to resettle or compensate residents. Often evictions take place at night to avoid riots and bad press; men, women and children are left homeless and without a source of livelihood. Businesses, schools, medical clinics, and churches are also destroyed.
Hakijamii was founded in 2004 to empower and support local communities in advocating for their rights. Odindo Opiata (Executive Director) started Hakijamii in order to provide long-term support and resources for communities, including an ever-expanding network of partner organizations and activities. Hakijamii is active in most of the urban centers in Kenya, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, and Garissa. The main office is located in Nairobi, Kenya.
Hakijamii is a leader among civil society organizations in advocating for economic and social rights, including more secure land tenure, better access to water, improved sanitation, and access to education. Hakijamii has achieved major results in policy reform, prevention of forced evictions, increased awareness of health risks, and in gaining support for new social movements. With the passage of the new Constitution in August 2010, Kenya now has the laws necessary to actualize reform. Hakijamii has increased its role in holding the government accountable for implementing the new laws, including leading coalitions in drafting new legislation, such as the Evictions and Resettlement Guidelines.
Community Outreach
The Community Outreach Program works with the other three programs to engage the communities and create interactive seminars and meetings in order to empower and educate the people. The goal is to increase participation in garnering social and economic rights, both on a grassroots and community level and on a political and statutory level.
Education
The Education Program seeks to improve access to education in informal settlements. Based on Kenya’s new Constitution, primary education is supposed to be free, but many times additional costs become prohibitive, such as food, uniforms, transportation, and books. Hakijamii advocates for increasing the availability of education for low-income families and lowering the barriers to schooling, so that each child can complete a standard, primary education.
Land and Housing
The Land and Housing Program at Hakijamii advocates for equitable treatment of people living in the settlements and for responsible use of the government’s eminent domain power. The Land and Housing Program works to prevent forced evictions, and in the case of necessary evictions, advocates for humane treatment in the process, including holding the government accountable to complying with resettlement and compensation guidelines. The program also works on educating people about their rights, including increasing knowledge and awareness of land tenure issues and providing legal support.
The Land and Housing Program actively advocates with Ngazi Ya Chini in its endeavors to hold the government and the World Bank accountable to the stated policies on resettlement.
Water and Sanitation
The Water and Sanitation Program focuses on addressing difficulties in water rights, such as resource constraints, the inability of low-income families to pay for water and sanitation services, weak institutional capacity, and the lack of government accountability in enforcing the right to water. The program contributes insight and direction on how human rights principles can be incorporated into water and sanitation programs, as well as provides important community workshops to educate communities about their rights.
Reports
Basic Services Reports
Education Updates
Hakijamii Annual Reports
Housing Updates
People’s Budget Reports
Water Rights Reports
Other Reports
Blogs
Education Blog
Land and Housing Blog
Water and Sanitation Blog
Blogs
Kristen Maryn, 2011 Peace Fellow
Christy Gillmore, 2010 Peace Fellow
Louis Rezac, 2010 Peace Fellow
Photos
Kristen Maryn's Flickr page
Christy Gillmore's Flickr page
AP's Hakijamii Flickr page
Hakijamii News
June 1, 2011, Fresh Calls to Review the Housing Bill, The Standard
May 11, 2011, Can Judiciary Enforce Property Rights?, The Standard
April 14, 2011, Evictees Find Refuge in New Constitution, The Standard
January 28, 2011, Ogiek Still Yearning for a New Day, The Standard
June 8, 2010, Controversy Threatens Multi-Million Shilling Project, The Standard
June 3, 2010, High Cost of Food Tops Public Agenda, Daily Nation
May 25, 2010, Cut Price of Food, Poor Urge Uhuru, Daily Nation
April 20, 2010, Financial Crunch Continues to Hinder Learning, The Standard
April 19, 2010, Kibaki Urged to Block Railway Land Evictions, Daily Nation
February 1, 2010, Hunger Locks Out 40,000 From School, The Standard
December 4, 2009, Land Policy Will End Clashes, Says Groups, Daily Nation
August 20, 2009, Court Halts Kenya Slum Relocations, The Kenya Weekly Post
April 1, 2009, Nairobi Inventory Publication, Shack/Slum Dwellers International
December 17, 2008, Making Free Schooling a Reality for Children in Slums, The Standard
June 26, 2008, African Union: COHRE and Hakijamii Trust urge AU Summit to endorse Right to Water and Sanitation, COHRE Press Release
November 2007, The Experience of Hakijamii Trust: Reconstructing Rights and Development - Methods for Community Empowerment, UNDP: Civil Society Voices
Railroad News
June 22, 2011, Encroachers Asked to Vacate Railways’ Land, Daily Nation
September 15, 2010, 5,000 to be Moved from Railways Land, Daily Nation
July 5, 2010, Sh24bn Makeover for Nairobi Train Transport, Daily Nation
June 8, 2010, Controversy Threatens Multi-Million Shilling Project, The Standard
May 15, 2010, Uprooting Railway Line Could Earn You Life Behind Bars, Daily Nation
May 6, 2010, ‘Self-enumeration’ Settles Tracks vs. Traders Conflict, Shack/Slum Dwellers International
May 4, 2010, Move Slum-Dwellers From Railway Land, Daily Nation
May 3, 2010, Bid to Expand City Railway Held Back as Squatters Stay Put, Daily Nation
April 19, 2010, Kibaki Urged to Block Railway Land Evictions, Daily Nation
April 4, 2010, KR Moves to Reclaim Grabbed Reserve, Daily Nation
Overhaul of Railway System to Cost Sh680 Billion, Daily Nation
March 21, 2010, Leave Rail Land, Squatters Told, Daily Nation
2010, Stops and Starts in Kibera, Shack/Slum Dwellers International
December 22, 2009, ‘Flying Toilets’ to Blame for Crash, Daily Nation
Train Accident – The Latest, The Standard
Three Killed as Train Derails, The Standard
December 21, 2009, Seven Feared Dead as Train Derails, Daily Nation
August 10, 2009, East Africa Trade and Transport Facilitation Project, World Bank
May 7, 2009, Let’s Reroute Rail Line from Kibera, Daily Nation - Letters
May 2, 2009, Kibera’s Rail as a Protest Tool, Daily Nation
May 1, 2009, Uganda-Kenya Train Services Back on Track, Daily Nation
April 27, 2009, Repair Work Begins on Kibera Rail Line, The Kenya Weekly Post
Residents Back Off Over Rail, Daily Nation
April 24, 2009, Kibera Youths Block Repair of Rail Line, Daily Nation
April 19, 2009, RVR in Sh100 Million Loss, Daily Nation
Slum Evictions Need Better Planning, The Standard – Opinion
April 15, 2009, Railways to Eject Squatters as it Upgrades Network, Daily Nation
January 24, 2006, Press Release: World Bank Provides US$199 Million in Credits and Grants and Two Partial Risk Guarantees of US$60 Million for Trade and Transport Facilitation, World Bank
Community Partners
Hakijamii has created a large network of Kenyan organizations, in order to increase the issues and areas of coverage, available resources, and breadth of the impact. Hakijamii collaborates with Civil Society Development Program, Kisumu Social Rights Association (KISORA), Kutoka Network, Nairobi People’s Settlement Network, Ngazi Ya Chini, Soweto Forum, The Youth Congress, and various community groups in Mombasa and Garissa.
International Partners
In additional to local organizations, Hakijamii has created invaluable relationships with multiple global human rights organizations. These include:
Hakijamii has impacted social change in Kenya in many areas. In conjunction with other grassroots and civil society organizations, Hakijamii has:
Hakijamii (Economic and Social Rights Centre)
Golfcourse Commercial Centre
Kenyatta Market
2nd Floor, Room 23
P.O.Box 11356 - 00100 Nairobi
Tel: +254-020-2731667
Mobile: +254-072-6527876
Fax: +254-020-2726023
E-mail: esrc@hakijamii.com
Website: http://www.esrc-hakijamii.com/
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Hakijamii
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Hakijamii operates with the mission of strengthening peoples’ capacity to effectively and directly participate in advocating for the realization of economic, social and cultural rights.
Hakijamii works with marginalized and vulnerable groups in Kenya, forming a national and international network advocating for realization of rights in community outreach, education, land and housing, and water and sanitation
Kenya is home to many of the world’s slums (informal settlements), including one of the largest in Africa, Kibera. Over 60 percent of the population of Nairobi lives on 5 percent of the land, typically in one of its many settlements. Those living in the settlements face substandard conditions, lacking access to basic services such as water, sanitation, education, and security. For decades, the Kenyan government has carried out mass forced evictions in the settlements to make way for government projects and private developers, with no effort to resettle or compensate residents. Often evictions take place at night to avoid riots and bad press; men, women and children are left homeless and without a source of livelihood. Businesses, schools, medical clinics, and churches are also destroyed.
Hakijamii was founded in 2004 to empower and support local communities in advocating for their rights. Odindo Opiata (Executive Director) started Hakijamii in order to provide long-term support and resources for communities, including an ever-expanding network of partner organizations and activities. Hakijamii is active in most of the urban centers in Kenya, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, and Garissa. The main office is located in Nairobi, Kenya.
Hakijamii is a leader among civil society organizations in advocating for economic and social rights, including more secure land tenure, better access to water, improved sanitation, and access to education. Hakijamii has achieved major results in policy reform, prevention of forced evictions, increased awareness of health risks, and in gaining support for new social movements. With the passage of the new Constitution in August 2010, Kenya now has the laws necessary to actualize reform. Hakijamii has increased its role in holding the government accountable for implementing the new laws, including leading coalitions in drafting new legislation, such as the Evictions and Resettlement Guidelines.
- October 30, 2013 – Tentative completion date of Construction Phase.
- November 1, 2011 – Construction Phase of Expansion is scheduled to begin
- July 20, 2011 – Pamoja Trust releases a progress report on the Expansion.
- June 23, 2011 – World Bank approves additional funding to account for the increased costs of the expansion.
- January 17, 2011 – KRC publishes a final Relocation Action Plan.
- April 20, 2010 – 30 day eviction notice passes; railway dwellers remain.
- March 21, 2010 – Kenya government hands down 30 day eviction notices to those living or working within 100 feet of rail line.
- February 2010 – An agreement is signed between the government and the World Bank to revise the RAP, due to changing conditions and circumstances.
- December 21, 2009 – Second derailment in Mashimoni claims several lives; reports range from 3 to 7.
- December 11, 2009 – Derailment in Mashimoni, Kibera, claims several lives.
- April 15, 2009 – KRC officially signs agreement to expand the railway; Rail line is uprooted as part of a protest against Ugandan presence on a disputed island at the countries’ border in Lake Victoria.
- January 17, 2008 – Protesters of the Presidential General Election uproot track in Kibera, disrupting rail traffic.
- December 2007 – Presidential General Election causes widespread protests and violence.
- 2007 – The Ministry of Transport applies to have plan changed from relocating the slums to relocating the entire railway line. The proposal is rejected; There is speculation that this was done to assuage a politically volatile Kibera.
- 2005 – Pamoja Trust creates an initial Relocation Action Plan for KRC; Ngazi Ya Chini responds with concerns and recommendations;Railway employees visit a relocation site in Mumbai.
- February 1, 2004 – Kenya Railways Corporation first proposes the railroad expansion, including serving 30 day eviction notices to the residents along the corridor; Residents respond by taking KRC to court and won.
- 1909 – Original, existing line is completed, linking Uganda to the coast.
Hakijamii coordinates programs in support of community outreach, education, land and housing, and water and sanitation. These programs are based on three pillars: Capacity strengthening for those who have less conventional economic, social, and political power; resisting unequal power relations at all levels; and fusing micro-level activism and macro-level initiatives. Hakijamii works to ensure these rights through the following mechanisms:
- Advocating for a society that ensures the protection, promotion and fulfillment of all rights for all people;
- Capacity strengthening of grassroots movements through training, awareness, and the establishment and equipping of community resource centers;
- Supporting community-led campaign actions;
- Educating and raising awareness in communities, government bodies, and civil society;
- Providing technical and financial support for burgeoning community movements;
- Offering marginalized communities legal expertise and leading litigation to promote the implementation of economic and social rights;
- Ensuring community participation in policy and law formulation;
- Organizing public accountability forums and hearings;
- Providing conflict resolution within community and governmental structures;
- Lobbying for incorporation of human rights-based principles in national policies and laws;
- Monitoring and reporting on government programs and compliance with international human rights obligations;
- Mobilizing community members on a grassroots level;
- Coordinating with organizations on a national and international level;
- Producing publications and reports on the status of economic and social rights.
Community Outreach
The Community Outreach Program works with the other three programs to engage the communities and create interactive seminars and meetings in order to empower and educate the people. The goal is to increase participation in garnering social and economic rights, both on a grassroots and community level and on a political and statutory level.
Education
The Education Program seeks to improve access to education in informal settlements. Based on Kenya’s new Constitution, primary education is supposed to be free, but many times additional costs become prohibitive, such as food, uniforms, transportation, and books. Hakijamii advocates for increasing the availability of education for low-income families and lowering the barriers to schooling, so that each child can complete a standard, primary education.
Land and Housing
The Land and Housing Program at Hakijamii advocates for equitable treatment of people living in the settlements and for responsible use of the government’s eminent domain power. The Land and Housing Program works to prevent forced evictions, and in the case of necessary evictions, advocates for humane treatment in the process, including holding the government accountable to complying with resettlement and compensation guidelines. The program also works on educating people about their rights, including increasing knowledge and awareness of land tenure issues and providing legal support.
The Land and Housing Program actively advocates with Ngazi Ya Chini in its endeavors to hold the government and the World Bank accountable to the stated policies on resettlement.
Water and Sanitation
The Water and Sanitation Program focuses on addressing difficulties in water rights, such as resource constraints, the inability of low-income families to pay for water and sanitation services, weak institutional capacity, and the lack of government accountability in enforcing the right to water. The program contributes insight and direction on how human rights principles can be incorporated into water and sanitation programs, as well as provides important community workshops to educate communities about their rights.
Reports
Basic Services Reports
Education Updates
Hakijamii Annual Reports
Housing Updates
People’s Budget Reports
Water Rights Reports
Other Reports
Blogs
Education Blog
Land and Housing Blog
Water and Sanitation Blog
Blogs
Kristen Maryn, 2011 Peace Fellow
Christy Gillmore, 2010 Peace Fellow
Louis Rezac, 2010 Peace Fellow
Photos
Kristen Maryn's Flickr page
Christy Gillmore's Flickr page
AP's Hakijamii Flickr page
Hakijamii News
June 1, 2011, Fresh Calls to Review the Housing Bill, The Standard
May 11, 2011, Can Judiciary Enforce Property Rights?, The Standard
April 14, 2011, Evictees Find Refuge in New Constitution, The Standard
January 28, 2011, Ogiek Still Yearning for a New Day, The Standard
June 8, 2010, Controversy Threatens Multi-Million Shilling Project, The Standard
June 3, 2010, High Cost of Food Tops Public Agenda, Daily Nation
May 25, 2010, Cut Price of Food, Poor Urge Uhuru, Daily Nation
April 20, 2010, Financial Crunch Continues to Hinder Learning, The Standard
April 19, 2010, Kibaki Urged to Block Railway Land Evictions, Daily Nation
February 1, 2010, Hunger Locks Out 40,000 From School, The Standard
December 4, 2009, Land Policy Will End Clashes, Says Groups, Daily Nation
August 20, 2009, Court Halts Kenya Slum Relocations, The Kenya Weekly Post
April 1, 2009, Nairobi Inventory Publication, Shack/Slum Dwellers International
December 17, 2008, Making Free Schooling a Reality for Children in Slums, The Standard
June 26, 2008, African Union: COHRE and Hakijamii Trust urge AU Summit to endorse Right to Water and Sanitation, COHRE Press Release
November 2007, The Experience of Hakijamii Trust: Reconstructing Rights and Development - Methods for Community Empowerment, UNDP: Civil Society Voices
Railroad News
June 22, 2011, Encroachers Asked to Vacate Railways’ Land, Daily Nation
September 15, 2010, 5,000 to be Moved from Railways Land, Daily Nation
July 5, 2010, Sh24bn Makeover for Nairobi Train Transport, Daily Nation
June 8, 2010, Controversy Threatens Multi-Million Shilling Project, The Standard
May 15, 2010, Uprooting Railway Line Could Earn You Life Behind Bars, Daily Nation
May 6, 2010, ‘Self-enumeration’ Settles Tracks vs. Traders Conflict, Shack/Slum Dwellers International
May 4, 2010, Move Slum-Dwellers From Railway Land, Daily Nation
May 3, 2010, Bid to Expand City Railway Held Back as Squatters Stay Put, Daily Nation
April 19, 2010, Kibaki Urged to Block Railway Land Evictions, Daily Nation
April 4, 2010, KR Moves to Reclaim Grabbed Reserve, Daily Nation
Overhaul of Railway System to Cost Sh680 Billion, Daily Nation
March 21, 2010, Leave Rail Land, Squatters Told, Daily Nation
2010, Stops and Starts in Kibera, Shack/Slum Dwellers International
December 22, 2009, ‘Flying Toilets’ to Blame for Crash, Daily Nation
Train Accident – The Latest, The Standard
Three Killed as Train Derails, The Standard
December 21, 2009, Seven Feared Dead as Train Derails, Daily Nation
August 10, 2009, East Africa Trade and Transport Facilitation Project, World Bank
May 7, 2009, Let’s Reroute Rail Line from Kibera, Daily Nation - Letters
May 2, 2009, Kibera’s Rail as a Protest Tool, Daily Nation
May 1, 2009, Uganda-Kenya Train Services Back on Track, Daily Nation
April 27, 2009, Repair Work Begins on Kibera Rail Line, The Kenya Weekly Post
Residents Back Off Over Rail, Daily Nation
April 24, 2009, Kibera Youths Block Repair of Rail Line, Daily Nation
April 19, 2009, RVR in Sh100 Million Loss, Daily Nation
Slum Evictions Need Better Planning, The Standard – Opinion
April 15, 2009, Railways to Eject Squatters as it Upgrades Network, Daily Nation
January 24, 2006, Press Release: World Bank Provides US$199 Million in Credits and Grants and Two Partial Risk Guarantees of US$60 Million for Trade and Transport Facilitation, World Bank
Community Partners
Hakijamii has created a large network of Kenyan organizations, in order to increase the issues and areas of coverage, available resources, and breadth of the impact. Hakijamii collaborates with Civil Society Development Program, Kisumu Social Rights Association (KISORA), Kutoka Network, Nairobi People’s Settlement Network, Ngazi Ya Chini, Soweto Forum, The Youth Congress, and various community groups in Mombasa and Garissa.
International Partners
In additional to local organizations, Hakijamii has created invaluable relationships with multiple global human rights organizations. These include:
- The Advocacy Project
- Amnesty International
- Center on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE)
- Columbia University
- Concern Worldwide
- Cordaid
- Dignity International
- The Finnish Foundation for Human Rights (Kios)
- Misereor
- Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
- Hakijamii is a founding member of the International Network for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (ESCR-NET)
Hakijamii has impacted social change in Kenya in many areas. In conjunction with other grassroots and civil society organizations, Hakijamii has:
- Successfully advocated for the passage of a progressive Constitution in Kenya;
- Advocated for the incorporation of economic and social rights into the Constitution;
- Created a taskforce dedicated to drafting legislation on evictions and resettlement guidelines, handed to the Ministry of Land in 2011;
- Successfully coordinated and partnered with over 120 organizations, locally, nationally and globally;
- Created strong social movements of community groups based in Nairobi and Kisumu;
- Improved participation of community groups in the formulation and implementation of policies and laws on economic and social rights;
- Established community resource and information centers;
- Created community-led advocacy actions around the national budget, national land policy, and the right to adequate housing;
- Enhanced accountability and transparency of public officials;
- Enhanced its capacity to influence national policies and laws;
- Created a strong network of national and international coalitions;
- Improved monitoring of the Kenyan government’s international human rights obligations before the respective United Nation’s bodies.
Hakijamii (Economic and Social Rights Centre)
Golfcourse Commercial Centre
Kenyatta Market
2nd Floor, Room 23
P.O.Box 11356 - 00100 Nairobi
Tel: +254-020-2731667
Mobile: +254-072-6527876
Fax: +254-020-2726023
E-mail: esrc@hakijamii.com
Website: http://www.esrc-hakijamii.com/
Back