Country detail - yourHRC.org

Kenya

Regional group:

African Group (AG)

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Council Bureau membership:	–
Coordinator of regional group:	–
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2023) :

Other HRC positions:	–
OHCHR presence:	Human Rights Adviser
NHRI accreditation status:	A

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Standing - Ministerial

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Promoting human rights and Sustainable Development Goals through transparent, accountable and efficient public services delivery; Marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2013, Kenya has (in the absence of consensus) almost always abstained on resolutions tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention). It did, however, vote in favour of two resolutions on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic in 2013. Kenya has voted against or abstained on country-specific resolutions tabled under item 2 (i.e. on the situation in Sri Lanka). For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Kenya has generally voted in favour, though on four occasions it abstained. On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), Kenya has joined consensus on all resolutions except for two that were voted on during the period of its membership: on cooperation with Ukraine (Kenya abstained in 2014 and voted in favour in 2015). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Kenya has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has tended to vote in favour. It did though vote against a 2013 resolution on the question of the death penalty, a 2014 text on gender orientation, and a 2014 text on peaceful protests. Kenya abstained during voting on a 2014 resolution on the death penalty, and during voting on a 2014 resolution on the integrity of the judicial system. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Kenya has either joined consensus on, or has voted in favour of, all adopted texts.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

262

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Empty chair alert

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in less than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
SR on independence of judges, 2000

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

ICESRC
2 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2010, 2015, 2020)

Mid-term report

1st and 2nd cycles

Level of delegation

National High Level Committee

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 0 / 192

2^nd cycle: 52 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2023)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 2

Kenya circulated a note verbale informing UN member states of its candidature for membership of the Council for the period 2016-2018 in July 2015. The note verbale was not accompanied by voluntary pledges and commitments.

Kenya tabled voluntary pledges and commitments in support for its candidacy for membership for the period 2013-2015, on 12 October 2012.

The first part of the document presents Kenya’s general legal and policy framework for the promotion and protection of human rights, and a description of its commitment to universal norms (e.g. which instruments it has ratified). The main part of the document sets out concrete pledges and commitments ‘to further advance human rights at the regional and international levels, and further enhance human rights at the national level.’

However, most paragraphs are a restatement of existing commitments. Kenya makes only 8 concrete pledges for further action to contribute to the fuller enjoyment of human rights domestically or internationally. Of those, only 2 are somewhat ‘specific, measurable and verifiable:’ a pledge to play an active role in mediating and helping resolve regional conflicts with a view to protecting human rights; and taking steps to reform and strengthen the country’s judiciary.

Kenya

African Group (AG)

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 0 / 192

2nd cycle: 52 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 2

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 0 / 192

2^nd cycle: 52 / 192