Community paralegals advancing access to justice for Human Rights violations against sex workers in Nairobi

From the 10^th to 14^th of February 2014, KELIN will offer technical support to Health Options for Young Men on Aids (HOYMAS) and STIs in a capacity building workshop for community paralegals in Nairobi on HIV, Human Rights and the Law. These five days of training will be undertaken at the Sex Workers Prevention Program (SWOP) clinic learning site where 20 participants are expected.

This inception workshop seeks to introduce Human Rights principles to enable the participants understand the legal system and the various provisions of the law that impact on the rights of key populations in Kenya. Topics include introduction to Human Rights and the link to HIV, provisions of the Constitution that can advance the rights of key populations, legal and ethical issues, the recommendations of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law in relation to key populations, understanding the legal system and the provisions of law that advance and restrict the enjoyment of health related services by key populations, court procedures and basics in self-representation including how to seek redress for Human Rights violations in various Government institutions.

The facilitators will include human rights experts and lawyers in the HIV and the Law field. Participants will engage in various practical sessions, including an open forum with key duty bearers in Nairobi County, to discuss a collaborative approach in addressing Human Rights violations against sex workers in an effort to mitigate their vulnerability to HIV caused by such violations.

Unable to afford lawyers and ignored by authorities, sex workers are often preyed upon by corrupt officials and routinely victimized by violence. More often than not they are disenfranchised and unaware of their legal rights; they struggle to find redress for the harm done to them. The trained community-based paralegals can offer solutions by providing services like basic legal advice, legal opinions, community legal awareness, guidance on basic legal and court procedures, referral to lawyers and human rights institutions, etc. offering basic legal advice to their peers and helping them become aware of their rights and how to advance their interests. With support from KELIN pro bono lawyers, these groups may soon be able to engage in litigation when necessary.

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