By Aisha Ibrahim

Students taking the Institutions and Human Rights course (IRL 4151) visited the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) under the guidance of their lecturer, Dr. Pauline Ndungu aspart of their local institutional field study series. Forming a piece of the broader academic experience, this visit aimed at exposing students to institutions central to the promotion and protection of human rights in Kenya. It also serves as a preparatory step ahead of their upcoming international field study trip to Rwanda.

During the interactive session, KNCHR officials discussed the Commission’s constitutional mandate, emphasizing its role in monitoring, reporting, and advocating for economic, social, and cultural (ECOSOC) rights, such as access to education, healthcare, housing, and fair labour practices. Students were given a comprehensive understanding of how Kenya’s commitments under international human rights treaties are tracked and evaluated by the Commission.

What stood out was the Commission's candid approach in discussing implementation gaps, especially in areas like extrajudicial killings, access to education in marginalized regions, and the limitations of state reporting. The officials underscored the importance of shadow reports and the role KNCHR plays in submitting independent reports to UN treaty bodies, offering a more realistic picture of human rights on the ground.

The session also shed light on mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and how peer reviews by other states can put pressure on governments to address violations and uphold obligations. Students actively engaged in the Q&A session, raising critical questions about accountability, refugee rights, and the real impact of international protocols such as CEDAW and the Maputo Protocol.

This visit offered students a front-row seat to the inner workings of Kenya’s national human rights architecture, bridging academic theory with institutional practice. It reinforced the importance of civic engagement, state accountability, and youth involvement in safeguarding human dignity.

The KNCHR visit marked the beginning of a series of local institutional visits for the course, all focused on enhancing student understanding of governance, peacebuilding, and justice systems in both local and regional contexts.