PBI-Kenya project officer Florence Mwikali and WHRD Toolkit Organizer Jecinter Agunja on advocacy tour

Photo (left to right): PBI-Kenya project officer Florence Mwikali, UN Human Rights Officer, WHRD Toolkit Organizer Jecinter Agunja.

On October 12, PBI-Kenya tweeted: “The first stop on our international advocacy tour that started this week, is #Switzerland. Jecinter Agunja, #WHRD Toolkit Organiser, together with PBI Kenya’s Florence met with the Human Rights Officer for @UNHumanRights Topics: Elections and the work of the Toolkit Organisers.”

Florence Mwikali is a project officer at Peace Brigades International (PBI) in Kenya, an organization supporting human rights defenders. She is a human rights defender herself and a gender enthusiast, with extensive experience on gender and human rights issues. She has previously been involved with Amnesty International Kenya and the Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW) and has a wealth of experience in training on women’s human rights, particularly sexual and reproductive health rights, gender equality, and violence against women. She envisions a gender-equal society, where everyone’s rights are respected.

Jecinter Agunja is a human right defender, feminist, and activist for women’s and girls’ rights. She has been involved with PBI Kenya’s project on sexual and gender-based violence since its launch in 2016. She is also a member of the Kenyan Coalition for Grassroots Human Rights Defenders. She envisions a violence-free society that ensures equality and respects everyone’s rights, regardless of gender, sexuality, age or race. She is committed to being a necessary agent of change in society and to returning to her community to continue to train people.

PBI-Kenya will also be visiting France and the Spanish State this month. We continue to follow this advocacy tour with great interest.

PBI in Kenya

As noted on the PBI website: “Kenyan human rights defenders (HRDs) face numerous challenges and threats, particularly if they work in informal settlements and rural areas, or if they work on sensitive topics such as the ICC trials, land rights, or corruption. PBI has been working to support Kenyan HRDs since January 2013, following extensive field and desk-based research into the human rights situation in the country and the needs of defenders.”