RWI Regional Africa Programme (2017-2023)
With funding from Swedish Development Cooperation (Sida), RWI is further expanding and developing its cooperation regionally in Africa. The overall objective of the Regional Africa Programme (2017-2023) is to secure a demonstrable improvement in access to justice for all and implementation of human rights commitments in Africa. This objective is framed by the premise that the key challenge for increased respect for human rights regionally is not primarily a lack of standards and institutions, but making existing standards and institutions work.
Core Principles:
- Transparency through access to information for all stakeholders.
- Participation of key programme partners for enhanced ownership.
- Accountability for the effective implementation of human rights commitments.
- Non-discrimination and (gender) equality in Programme processes and outcomes.
- Knowledge production and dissemination towards regional discourse on human rights commitments.
Theory of Change:
If the human rights capacity of key regional institutions and related duty-bearers is strengthened, and the abilities of other key regional actors able to influence and follow-up the work of such institutions enhanced – with linkages to the national level and cooperation between these stakeholders being improved thus maximising synergies – then development challenges, including of a cross-border nature, facing Africa can be dealt with more effectively, because human rights commitments in the region will be increasingly implemented, enhancing good governance and the rule of law.
Approach:
- Cooperation with key regional actors able to follow up and influence the implementation of human rights commitments in the region;
- Direct cooperation with bodies of the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities, and related duty-bearers in the region, in the area of human rights; and
- Continuous monitoring and evaluation of programme processes to ensure consistent learning for effective programme implementation.
Key expected outcomes:
- Enhanced cooperation and usage of mechanisms to further access to justice and implementation of human rights commitments in Africa.
- Targeted regional institutions and related duty bearers increasingly consider gender equality a core aspect in access to justice and human rights advancement.
- Improved human rights performance of targeted bodies of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and related duty bearers in the region.
Implementing partners:
- Academic Network – generating research and resources, building capacity, and developing spaces for inter-sectoral dialogue.
- African Court Coalition (ACC) – monitoring and strengthening implementation of decisions by the African Court on Human and People’s Rights and strengthening the complementary relationship between the Court and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.
- African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF) – increasing the ability of regional, primarily Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) and national bodies and organisations, primarily police services, in East Africa to promote human rights compliant policing.
- East Africa Law Society (EALS) – increasing understanding of the East African Court of Justice and strengthening implementation of its decisions.
- Equality Now – developing knowledge and skills among targeted institutions in gender equality and increasing access to objective information on women’s human rights and means and mechanisms for their implementation.
- Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) – enhancing the ability of National Human Rights Institutes to influence human rights developments and follow-up on human rights commitment.
- Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) – strengthening implementation of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice decisions and supporting implementation of the 10-Year Human Rights Action Plan.
Direct cooperation partners
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- The African Union and its organs including the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
- Regional Economic Communities and their organs including the East African Court of Justice, EAC Department of Peace and Security, and ECOWAS Community Court of Justice
Regional Africa Programme Staff
Rakel Larsen
Rakel Larsen joined RWI in November 2020 as the Director of the Nairobi Office. She brings more than 15 years of work experience in refugee protection, displacement and human rights mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to joining the RWI, she worked for the Danish Refugee Council with humanitarian response and protection of refugees and other displaced persons in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.
Furthermore, she holds a Master’s in Law and a Master’s in African Studies (Human Rights and Development) from the University of Copenhagen.
Chris Muthuri
Deputy Director of the Nairobi Office.
Regional Africa Programme — Focal Point: African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACtHPR), ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation
Chris has over a decade’s experience working with several international, regional and local organisations across Africa. He has extensive experience in advocacy, programme management and fundraising having taken up leadership roles on several instances. Chris joined the Institute in October 2017 working on the Regional Africa Programme from RWI’s Nairobi office.
Damaris Seina
Regional Africa Programme. Focal Point: African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF), East African Community (EAC)
Damaris has worked at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute since 2015 as the Kenya Programme Officer and is responsible for planning, implementation and follow-up of cooperation projects in Kenya so as to achieve expected results.
Gilford Kimathi
Gilford Kimathi is a Programme Officer at the Nairobi Office supporting the Regional Africa and Ethiopia programmes. He brings a decade of experience in programme management, where he has also contributed to research and human rights capacity development. Before joining RWI, Gilford worked five years with the Network for African National Human Rights Institutions, through which he has gained extensive experience with African human rights mechanisms and frameworks.
Pasca Chesach
Pasca Chesach joins RWI as the Programme Associate Communications supporting the Regional Office in Nairobi in Programme Communications and Administration. Pasca has over 5 years in strategic communications and supporting programmes for International and local organizations in communications, most recently Christian Aid. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and is currently pursuing her Masters in Development Communication. With a background that spans multiple areas of communication, Pasca brings a wealth of experience in crafting impactful messages and engaging diverse audiences for effective communication.
Tsion Hagos
