What we aim for

Our current cooperation in Kenya with the Kenya Prison Service, and Probation and Aftercare Services of Kenya mainly focuses on increasing the capacity of the Kenyan Correctional Services to meet relevant international human rights standards for correctional services in particular, the Mandela Rules, Tokyo Rules and Bangkok Rules.  

The current and second component of the Kenya Programme aims to contribute to the effective use of non-custodial measures through enhanced human rights perspectives and cooperation and coordination in the administration of justice.  

To anchor the achievements of the Kenya Programme to date and to ensure sustainability of the steps taken towards increased compliance, the new phase of the Programme now focuses on policy and legislative reforms – in particular, providing continued support to the State Department for Correctional Services in development and implementation of the national correctional services policy, and embedding human rights structures within the KPS, PACS and other relevant justice sector actors as necessary. 

How we work

We work with a unique set of methodologies. These have been developed over the years to enhance respect for human rights in correctional services including incorporating research as a cross-cutting component. Our research is guided by international human rights standards and informs evidence-based design of the Programme based on experiences, lessons and good practices within the Programme.  

What We Have Achieved

An independent external evaluation of the Programme conducted in 2019 concluded that the Programme continues to "contribute to systemic change in increasing compliance towards international human rights standards within the correctional services". The Programme was also found to be effective in strengthening human rights capacity and evidence-based decision-making amongst duty-bearers within the correctional service and justice sector agencies. 

Repeat audits conducted in a number of pilot prisons have shown consistent improvements in compliance with the Mandela Rules and other relevant standards since 2012.  

The Programme has also recorded concrete examples of reforms by Kenya Prison Service (KPS) and Probation and Aftercare Services (PACS) officers and management including provision of information to prisoners and probationers, improved documentation systems, improved quality of reports submitted by probation officers to the courts, and new medical examination protocols – which were particularly useful in curbing the spread of Covid-19 within the Kenyan prisons.  

A special project on assessment and classification of offenders in accordance with the Mandela Rules was launched in 2015, involving both KPS and PACS as well as the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, and has already resulted in improved decision-making about individual offenders based on risk and need. The assessment and classification project will be further developed under the Programme through a multi-stakeholder approach with justice sector actors. 

In 2016, the partnership between RWI and KPS was awarded the Correctional Excellence Award for Management and Staff Training by the International Corrections and Prisons Association.

RWI Kenya Programme Brochure