New policy to guide protection of marginalised, minority groups

Plan International Kenya staff distributing sanitary towels girls in Loreng village in Turkana during World Menstrual Hygiene Day. [Mike Ekutan, Standard] The government has embarked on developing a framework geared towards ensuring the rights of minority and marginalised groups are well protected, as enshrined in the Constitution. Despite the Constitution of Kenya 2010 recognising these groups under Article 56, there currently exists no guiding policy to implement this constitutional provision. It is against this backdrop that the Head of Minorities and Marginalised Affairs Unit at the Office of the President, Josephat Lodoyi, has been meeting the groups in various counties. In Nakuru County, the Turkana community is among the minority groups that have been fighting for fair treatment and inclusion in governance, a challenge they continue to face nationally. Margaret Lowoi, who has been championing her community's rights through the National Gender and Equality Commission, said much remains to be achieved. "We have been actively advocating for fair treatment and inclusion at the national and county level. Lack of a structured policy for this remains a major setback," said Lowoi. According to the community, their efforts have been focused on political representation, economic opportunities and access to public services such as education and healthcare. "While we may have made strides on some issues, serious challenges persist in areas such as land ownership and equitable distribution of resources," said Lowoi. Nakuru County Chief Officer for Gender and Inclusivity, Gladys Kamuren, who attended the forum, noted that the county government was making deliberate efforts to attain inclusivity. "In some cases, we do headhunting for marginalised candidates for employment. We have also increased engagement with vernacular media to reach more people," said Kamuren. With multiple minority and marginalised groups hosted in different parts of the county, Kamuren said budgetary allocations have been tailored for equitable distribution of resources. "We have ensured such areas have access to essential services such as education, healthcare, water, and infrastructure to break down barriers, empower individuals, and create a more representative and cohesive society," she said. During a consultative meeting with members of the Turkana community in Nakuru, Lodoyi said that the Unit is in the process of drafting a policy to address challenges facing the affected groups. "The new policy framework for full implementation of Article 56 of our Constitution will be ready by December. This will turn around how issues relating to the minority and marginalised are handled by public entities," said Lodoyi. He noted that with the new policy, each state department will have a specific way of handling these concerns at the national level. "County governments will also have a clear pathway of engaging the affected groups. The policy will outline approaches on access to resources, representation, and socio-economic inclusion for these groups," he added. He further stated that the Unit, which was recently established at the Office of the President, is also focused on promoting the diverse and unique cultures of minority groups, which often face the risk of extinction. "Article 56 is a beacon of hope for all communities. Every culture is invaluable to the whole country as a heritage and must be protected. We are seeking synergy between counties and the national government to achieve these goals," said Lodoyi.

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