The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has launched a human rights movement for students aimed at advocating the rights of young learners.
The Commission Deputy Director in charge of Public Education and Training Division, Laban Cheruiyot, while speaking at Don Bosco Girls’ school in Embu said learners in primary and secondary school are undergoing challenges they are unable to say no to.
“Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriages are facing our young people and being part of their culture, they have no courage to say no,” he noted.
Cheruiyot said by launching the Young Educators Human Right movement, the youthful human activists will advocate for the rights of their schoolmates and the rights of the youngsters in their community.
“The best starting point for dealing with such retrogressive culture is sensitizing the community the negative consequences of such practices to the individual and society at large,” he added.
He noted KNCHR is working closely with other departments such as children, prison and police among others to advocate for rights of the affected.
Cheruiyot has urged Kenyans who feel their rights have been violated to make a report at KNCHR offices.
Joy Kanana, Deaf Empowerment Society of Kenya (DESK), Deputy CEO who graced the launching said the persons with hearing impairment are also facing violation of their rights especially when it comes to job opportunities.
She challenged the institutions to ensure they have sign language interpreters in their institutions to facilitate communication for efficient services for the deaf.
By Kimani Tirus
