Migration and Human rights
By Lynesther Mureu and Evaline Waweru
Migration within the Horn of Africa has become a flashpoint for debate in many countries. It is increasingly becoming a human rights issue owing to the political, environmental, and socio-economic impact it has. For Kenya, Migration largely remains a key security concern because of the instability on countries that surround our territories. That notwithstanding, the enjoyment of human rights includes migrant person to the extent to which states deal with aspects repatriation, granting of work permits, detention and other human rights factors.
In the discharge of its mandate and line with its strategic objective, the Kenya National Commission of Human Rights (KNCHR) has for the past year intensified the monitoring of human rights for migrants persons and has been working with both national, regional and international partners and mechanisms to infuse a Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) to Migration in Kenya.
To this end and in collaboration with the German Cooperation (GIZ) and the Better Migration Movement, KNCHR visited and engaged the Somaliland National Human Rights Commission (SLNHRC) in a forum aimed at strengthening the role of NHRIs in Migration Governance in Somaliland and the Horn of Africa region.
Strategically, the meeting sought to increase the capacity of SLNHRC in the migration trends in Somaliland, enhance the terminologies of migration, and reduce smuggling of migrants. The ultimate beneficiaries of the continuous conversation are potential and actual migrants, victims of trafficking and smuggling and other vulnerable groups such as women and children.
Discussions revolved on how the human based approach can be used for effective migration management, the redress mechanisms available to help migrants’ access justice, the role of National Human Rights Institutions. Additionally, the meeting deliberated on an action plan, follow up engagements and activities that SLNHRC can undertake on the subject. This helped impart knowledge on the concept of migration and human rights through three areas of intervention; capacity building, awareness raising, and policy harmonization.