Refugee Camp in Kenya. Photo: RCK
The Kenyan Refugees Act of 2006 is currently under review, as part of the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya, which necessitated the review of various pieces of legislation passed prior to 2010, including the Refugee Act 2006, to ensure conformity.
Last month the debate on the refugee bill went into the 3rd reading section, receiving crucial support from various members of parliament.
Several clauses were approved in favour of refugee rights, which include:
- Access to legal aid during Refugee Status Determination (RSD) processes
- Special consideration for women and children during RSD and in durable solutions.
- Access to work permits
- Access to land for settlement Refugee Trust Fund
Many of these clauses allow for alternatives to detention to be developed, which are any legislation, policy or practice that ensures people are not detained for reasons relating to their migration status.
IDC Member the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK), together with a task force chaired by the Refugee Affairs Secretariat have been working with members of parliament, specifically the Kenya Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus (KEPHRA) on the adoption of the bill.