NAIROBI, Kenya, July 11 – The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has stated that limited budgetary allocations have hindered its mandate of promoting and protecting the welfare of minority and marginalized groups.
While revealing the status of integration of ethnic minorities and marginalized groups before the Senate National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity, and Regional Integration Committee, the Commission chairperson Joyce Mwikali Mutinda noted that inadequate financial resources have delayed the development of necessary policy frameworks for integration and minority groups.
NGEC assured that adequate resources will help finalize the proposed framework for inclusive development for minority and marginalized groups in Kenya.
“Limited financial resources have hindered the Commission’s capacity to effectively discharge its mandate. For example, the Commission was unable to undertake a rapid investigation into the case of the Sakuye Community in Marsabit due to a lack of resources. Similarly, numerous complaints from Tana River, Bungoma, Samburu, and Turkana remain unattended,” said Mutinda NGEC Chairperson.
According to Mutinda, the Commission’s physical presence is limited to just six counties nationwide, making it difficult for it to address specific needs of counties that are home to a large number of marginalized and minority groups.
“This limitation, combined with the vastness and poor infrastructure of the counties where many Minority and Marginalized groups reside, makes it challenging to effectively address issues affecting these communities,” she added.
The Commission revealed that despite the challenges, it is seeking necessary resources to expand its presence to at least 10 regions across the country to ensure inclusion and promote gender equality, urging the government to consider ratification of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People to allow integration.
According to the National Commission on Human Rights, Kenya has ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) but is yet to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
