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Kenya Urban Refugee Situation report: March 2019

Countries
Kenya
+ 6 more
Sources
UNHCR
Publication date

1 PROTECTION

1.1 Legal Assistance and Legal Remedies

  • Kituo Cha Sheria observed criminal proceedings against 40 persons of concern (“PoCs”) that were arrested for camping outside near the office. They were charged with Depositing Refuse on Land Not Approved as a Dumping Site. UNHCR and Kituo separately visited the PoCs at Nairobi West Prison (26 PoCs) and Langata Women’s Prison (3 PoCs) to monitor their situation. Of the 40, 12 of the PoCs were released after pleading guilty to the charges. UNHCR posted bail (KES 5000) bail for 14 of the PoCs that pled not guilty and wanted to go to trial. Bail decisions for 3 PoCs is pending a Children’s Officer Report.

1.2 Protection & Detention Monitoring

  • UNHCR and its partner Kituo Cha Sheria continue to monitor the protection situation of persons of concern residing in the urban areas. During the reporting period, interventions were made for 44 persons of concern who had been arrested and charged in various courts for different offences. 14 police stations and four prisons were visited as part of the monthly detention monitoring activities.

1.3 UNHCR Helpline

  • The helpline received a total of 6486 calls during the month. Of these, 4278 were answered in the first instance representing 65.95%. The largest call driver was resettlement followed by protection and RSD.

1.4 Child Protection

  • Through the month of March, a total of 22 Best Interests’ Assessments (“BIAs”) were conducted (13 for Mombasa and 9 for Nairobi); One BID panel was convened where 21 cases were paneled and approved for resettlement and family reunification.

  • A total of 14 social assessments were conducted (8 for Mombasa and 6 for Nairobi).

  • A 6-day joint BIA/BID mission (UNHCR/ HIAS) to Mombasa and Marereni was conducted between 11th and 16th March 2019 by the UNHCR Child protection Assistant and HIAS BID Specialist. A total of 22 families were visited. In addition to BIAs and social assessments, monitoring was also done for those cases that were previously identified as in need. In Mombasa, the mission met with the Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS), Mombasa District Children’s Officer (DCO), Kenya Red Cross Society and Kituo Cha Sheria (KCS) to discuss registration, family tracing, legal representation and other issues affecting refugee children at the coast region.