Kenya-Jade in Kenya: Life, Law and the International Commission of Jurists in Nairobi

Kenya-Jade Pinto is completing her CLA-ACE internship in Nairobi, Kenya with the International Commission of Jurists.

As a little girl growing up on the Kenyan coast to an Indo-Kenyan father and Canadian mother, the memories I have are warm and fuzzy. A young me scampered through our safe, gated complex with knotted hair, a toothy grin, and legs covered in scars and bruises from climbing trees I shouldn’t have. Memories of a warm ocean and sand between my toes come to my mind; of a comfortable and privileged life reliant on a thriving tourism economy. I grew up privileged enough to see Kenya for all of her very beautiful quirks and qualities: neep tides that uncover vast expanses of sandy white beach; long lineups at the ferry made bearable by fresh cassava chips drenched in squeezed lemon and chili powder; and the atmospheric ethos of a hardworking and deeply passionate people. I suspect that my parents might have uncovered their own favourite qualities, and formalized those sentiments on my birth certificate ;)

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Snuck in an obligatory few moments of “explore” time before ICJ’s Access to Information meeting in Naivasha.

Coming back to Kenya as an adult, my eyes have been opened to some of the challenges and opportunities that Kenyans are faced with on a daily basis. The International Commission of Jurists in Kenya are actively working on some of these things and have been doing so since 1959. Specifically, the programs that ICJ Kenya focus on are Access to Justice, Democratization, Human Rights and International Cooperation.

 

I’m placed in the office of the Executive Director, and so I’ve been working on legal research supporting the organization's larger advocacy strategies.

 

In addition to legal research for the office of the ED, ICJ have empowered me to take on the things that interest me.

 

As a result, I’ve been involved in meetings on the 2/3 gender principle (ensuring the constitutional promise that no more than 2/3 of elected officials should be of the same gender is in place), contributed to a case digest aimed at helping organizations understand a legal framework around women’s rights, engaged in constitutional research surrounding post election violence, contributed to funding and donor research, and have even become ad hoc in house photographer along the way!

 

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Human Rights Program Director, Victor Kapiyo, is on his way in to the office in this candid moment.

 

Today I’m in Naivasha supporting the organization with a Bill that they are encouraging county representatives to consider around Access to Information. National Security is obviously a huge limitation to this kind of legislation, and I can’t help but think about the Canadian comparisons.

 

Nairobi is a really exciting place to be and so I’ve been taking full advantage of the weekends here. So far, I've managed to watch my favourite Kenyan artist live and climb Mount Longonot. This weekend I’m shooting flamingos in Nakuru! (… err, with my camera).

 

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My colleagues think it’s so funny that I’m obsessed with these Marabou Storks (read: huge ugly vultures). They nest in trees near garbage sites and are considered pests

 

Kenya might be a different place than it was when I was growing up, but so far, my experience has been just as warm and fuzzy — better, even, because this time I’m stepping outside my gated and protected comfort zone.

 

-KJ 

 

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In between legal research, I’ve been tasked with capturing the team’s portraits for ICJ’s website revamp! Here’s mine!