National Plan of Action For Children in Kenya 2015 2022

REPUBLIC OF KENYA
National Plan of Action

for Children in Kenya
2015-2022
REPUBLIC OF KENYA
National Plan of Action

for Children in Kenya
2015-2022
© 2015 National Council for Children’s Services.
Cover photo courtesy of ChildFund Kenya
CONTENTS
FOREWORD......................................................................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ii
ABBREVIATIONS ...........................................................................................................................iii
OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................................ 1
CHAPTER ONE: RIGHT TO SURVIVAL........................................................... 4

1.0 RIGHT TO SURVIVAL......................................................................................................... 4
1.1 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS.................................................................................................. 5
1.2.1 Infant and child mortality............................................................................................ 5
1.2.2 Causes of child and maternal mortality in Kenya.................................................. 6
1.2.3 Children with disabilities, special needs, chronic illnesses and conditions..... 10
1.2.4 Adolescent health...................................................................................................... 11
1.2.5 Health sector service delivery................................................................................. 11
1.3 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK.......................................................................... 13
1.4 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHTS TO SURVIVAL.................................. 15
CHAPTER TWO: CHILD DEVELOPMENT.................................................... 16

2.0 RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT........................................................................................... 16
2.1 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS................................................................................................ 17
2.1.1 Education...................................................................................................................... 17
2.1.2 Recreation, leisure, play and cultural activities..................................................... 19
2.1.3 Access to appropriate information......................................................................... 19
2.1.4 Parental and family care............................................................................................. 19
2. 2 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK......................................................................... 20
2.3 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT........................ 20
CHAPTER THREE: CHILD PROTECTION.................................................... 22

3.0 RIGHT TO PROTECTION............................................................................................... 22
3.1 SITUATION ANALYSIS .................................................................................................... 23
3.1.1 Violence against children........................................................................................... 23
3.1.2 Child neglect................................................................................................................ 25
3.1.3 Child labour................................................................................................................. 25
3.1.4 Drug and substance abuse........................................................................................ 26
3.1.5 Children with disabilities: ......................................................................................... 27
3.1.6 Child trafficking .......................................................................................................... 27
3.1.7 Sexual exploitation of children................................................................................ 27
3.1.8 Street children ............................................................................................................ 28
3.1.9 Children in conflict with the law............................................................................. 28
3.1.10 Retrogressive cultural practices............................................................................ 28
3.1.11 Children’s right to identity..................................................................................... 29
3.1.12 Children and information and communication technologies.......................... 30
3.1.13 Social protection ..................................................................................................... 30
3.1.14 Parental and family care ......................................................................................... 30
3.1.15 Children under alternative care arrangements ................................................ 30
3.1.16 Orphans and children affected by HIV and AIDS.............................................. 31
3.1.17 Children and disasters............................................................................................. 32
3.1.18 Children and climate change.................................................................................. 32
3.1.19 Children of internally displaced families and refugees...................................... 32
3.2 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK...................................................................... 33
3.3 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHT TO PROTECTION....................... 34
CHAPTER FOUR: CHILD PARTICIPATION.................................................. 38

4.0 PARTICIPATION................................................................................................................. 38
4.1 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS................................................................................................ 38
4.3 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATION........................ 41
CHAPTER FIVE: COORDINATION................................................................ 43

5. 1 COORDINATION LEVELS............................................................................................. 43
5.2.1 National level .............................................................................................................. 43
5.2.2 County and sub-county levels ................................................................................ 44
5.3 RESOURCE MOBILIZATION ........................................................................................ 45
5. 4 CAPACITY BUILDING ................................................................................................... 45
CHAPTER SIX: MONITORING AND EVALUATION................................... 46

6.I MONITORING AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORK ............................................... 46
INDICATOR MATRIX.................................................................................... 49
PILLAR ONE: CHILD SURVIVAL...................................................................................... 49
PILLAR TWO: CHILD DEVELOPMENT......................................................................... 52
PILLAR THREE: CHILD PROTECTION.......................................................................... 57
PILLAR FOUR: CHILD PARTICIPATION........................................................................ 62
List of Figures
Figure 1: Causes of under-five deaths in Kenya ........................................................................ 6
Figure 2:Violence aganist children.......................................................................................24
Figure 3: Why children are violated ...................................................................................24
Figure 4: Cases of child labour are on the rise .................................................................25
Figure 5: National level coordination framework..............................................................43
Figure 6: County and sub-county level coordination framework.....................................45
Figure 7: The reporting system............................................................................................47
FOREWORD
Kenya became a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990
and was the 20th member state to ratify the instrument. This was a major milestone in the promotion and
protection of children’s rights and welfare in Kenya.
In the1990s a National Programme of Action to operationalize the World Summit Declaration and Plan of
Action for Survival, Protection, Development and Participation of Children was developed. The National
Programme of Action marked a major step in the continued effort to articulate and address the concerns of
children and women in Kenya. It detailed the world summit goals and became an integral part of development
plans and policy documents on various issues concerning children.
The enactment of Children Act 2001 led to the incorporation of the provisions of the UNCRC and the
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) while also taking cognizance of other
Human Rights instruments that relate to children.
The Kenya Vision 2030 through the Medium Term Plans also highlights the flagship projects to be undertaken
towards the realization of children’s rights for national prosperity.
Kenya has made great strides in an endeavour to fulfill the rights of children in spite of many challenges. The
promulgation of the Constitution in 2010 was a major milestone for the children of Kenya, as it recognizes
some fundamental human rights, in keeping with the UNCRC, the ACRWC and other international and
regional treaties.
The allocation of funds towards children’s programmes has been steadily increasing. There is greater
awareness of children’s rights in Government, Ministries and Agencies, other organizations and the wider
public. Area Advisory Councils that consist of relevant government ministries, key partners and stakeholders
working with, and for children have been instrumental at the county, sub-county and ward levels in creating
awareness on child rights and welfare.
On recommendation of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child during Kenya’s 2nd State Party
Report 2004 -2008, Kenya developed a National Plan of Action (NPA) which covered all the rights in the
Convention and took into account the World Fit for Children (WFFC) goals.
After the expiry of the NPA 2004-2008, the NPA 2008-2012 was developed through the co-ordination of
the National Council for Children’s Services, and successfully implemented. Major gains were made in the
pillars of Survival, Development, Protection and Participation.
The Council reviewed the NPA 2008-2012 through a consultative process with key partners and stakeholders.
The findings of the NPA 2008-2012 formed the basis of the NPA 2015-2022, which is aligned to the Medium
Term Plans of Kenya Vision 2030.
It is expected that the NPA 2015-2022 will assist and continue to strengthen efforts to establish a mechanism
for co-ordination throughout the country and, trigger further allocation of adequate resources to support
children rights at both national and local levels.
I call upon all children’s service providers across the country to familiarize themselves with the NPA
document to ensure that all read from the same script and therefore adhere to the identified priority
interventions for the advancement of children’s rights in Kenya.
Joyce Ngugi
Chairperson, National Council for Children’s Services.
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following individuals are acknowledged for their contribution as authors to this National Plan of
Action for Children in Kenya 2015-2022.
Name Institution
Kellen Karanu National Council for Children’s Services
Jacinta Murgor Department of Children’s Services
Esther Ndirangu Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services – CPMU
Adelaide Ngaru National Council for Children’s Services
Rosemary Kongani Kenya National Bureau of Statistics
Raphael O. Owako Ministry of Health – Family Health – Neonatal Child and
Adolescent Health Unit
Doughlas Manyara Ministry of Devolution and Planning
Ruth N.W. Njuguna National Council for Children’s Services
Faith Thuku Goal Kenya
Gilbert Ngaira Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children
Roselyn Were USAID ASSIST
Irene Mutea USAID ASSIST
Jeniffer K. Mwikhoma USAID ASSIST
Charles Kimani USAID ASSIST
Eunice Kilundo ChildFund Kenya
Lilian Mageto USAID Measure Evaluation PIMA
Samuel Munyuwiny African Institute of Child Studies
Mathenge Munene Child Environment Development
Special thanks go to Joyce Ngugi, Chairperson for the National Council for Children’s Services for
leadership during the development of this document, the Council Members and the Council’s secretariat
for their invaluable support.
The Council’s Key Partners and Stakeholders are also highly appreciated for their financial support
throughout the entire process. These partners include: Goal Kenya, USAID Applying Science to
Strengthen and Improve Systems (ASSIST) with funding from USAID, Save the Children International
and the Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children.
Most importantly, we thank the Children and County Coordinators for Children’s Services who
participated through the tool administered in all the 47 counties.
Ahmed Hussein, MBS, HSC

DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES / SECRETARY NCCS
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ABBREVIATIONS
AAC Area Advisory Council

ACRWC African Charter for the Right and Welfare of the Child
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AVSR Annual Vital Statistics Report
CLTS Community-Led Total Sanitation
CPMIS Child Protection Management Information System
CPR Contraceptive Prevalence Rate
CPU Central Planning and Monitoring Unit
CSO Civil Society Organisation
DCS Department of Children’s Services
EAC East Africa Community
ECDE Early Child Development Education
EMTCT Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission
FBO Faith Based Organisation
FGM Female Genital Mutilation
GER Gross Enrolment Rate
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
ICT Information and Communication Technology
ITN Insecticide-Treated Net
KAIS Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey
KASF Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework
KPRR Kenya Prevention Revolution Roadmap
KCA Kenya Children’s Assembly
KDHS Kenya Demographic and Health Survey
KNBS Kenya National Bureau of Statistics
KNLS Kenya National Library Services
KPHC Kenya Population and Housing Census
KWSIP Kenya Water Sector Investment Programme
LLITNS Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets
MDGs Millennium Development Goals
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
M&EF Monitoring and Evaluation Framework
MOE Ministry of Education
MOH Ministry of Health
MOSCA Ministry of Sports Culture and Arts
MTP Medium Term Plan
NACADA National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse
NCCS National Council for Children’s Services
NCPD National Coordinating Agency for Population and Development
NCST National Council of Science and Technology
NER Net Enrolment Rate
NIMES National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation System
NKCA National Kenya Children’s Assembly
NPA National Plan of Action
ODF Open Defecation Free
ORS Oral Rehydration Salts
ORT Oral Rehydration Therapy
PMTCT Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission
REPSSI Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative
iii
SDGs Sustainable Development Goals
SITAN Situation Analysis of Women and Children
SUN Scaling up Nutrition
UNCRC United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child
UNCESCR United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Right
UNICEF United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
VACS Violence Against Children Survey
WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
WHO World Health Organization
WFFC World Fit For Children
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DEFINITION OF TERMS
Council: National Council for Children’s Services.
Child neglect: Neglect is the failure to provide for the development of the child in
all spheres: health, education, emotional development, nutrition, shelter and safe living
conditions in the context of resources reasonably available to the family or caretakers
and causes or has a high probability of causing harm to the child’s health or physical,
mental, spiritual, moral and social development.This is the failure to properly supervise
and protect children from harm as much as feasible.
Child labour: Any economic exploitation or work that is likely to be hazardous or to

interfere with the child’s development, or to be harmful to the child’s health or physical,
mental, spiritual, moral and social development.
Child abuse: Involves acts of commission and omission, which result in harm to the
child. The four types of abuse are physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and
neglect.
Child protection: Is the process of protecting individual children identified as either

suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of violence, exploitation, abuse
or neglect.
Child trafficking: A child is trafficked if he or she has been moved within a country,
or across borders, whether by force or not, with the purpose of exploiting the child.
Child friendly institutions: the environment and structures of institutions (children’s

court, waiting room for the courts, child protection units and desks in police stations
etc) should be painted with bright colors, have cartoon drawings, and a room setting
that is child friendly such as round table siting arrangement, provision of a play area and
other facilities that engage children in play and leisure. The facility should also provide
privacy to enable children to give confidential information.
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OVERVIEW
Kenya’s total population according to the 2009 census is 38.6 million, of which 21 million
are children, and 6 million are aged 0-4 years (KPHC, 2009). The Kenya government
signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the
African Charter on Rights and Welfare of Children (ACRWC) and domesticated these
treaties through the Children Act (2001),
Kenya submitted the initial, first and second Periodic Reports on UNCRC to the
UNCRC Committee, the first report on the UNCESCR and the first Report to the
African Union committee of experts on the rights and welfare of the child. Further,
Kenya participated in the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on children
in 2002 and consented to the World Fit for Children (WFFC) four goals namely;
promoting healthy lives, providing quality education, protecting children against abuse
exploitation and violence and combating HIV and AIDS. This was preceded by the
Africa Fit for Children which led to the production of the Africa Common Position for
Children that informed the WFFC process and is now implemented by African heads
of state.
In an attempt to promote and protect the rights of children in Kenya, the government
developed the National Plan of Action (NPA) 2008-2012.
The relevant legal and policy instruments that guided the NPA 2008-2012 are the
Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter Country
Adoption, the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNCESCR), the
UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UNCRC Optional Protocols on Sale,
Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children and the Protocol on Involvement of
Children in Armed Conflicts, the International Labour Organization Conventions 138
and 182, the National Children Policy and other relevant sector-specific policies of the
Kenya Government.
The NPA 2008 -2012 was also informed by the observations and the concluding
remarks of the initial, first and second state party reports to the UNCRC and the first
report to UNCESCR.
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National Plan of Action for Children in Kenya 2015-2022
The National Council for Children’s Services (NCCS) together with other line
Ministries, Departments and Agencies reviewed the NPA 2008-2012. The review aimed
at identifying the achievements, gaps, lessons learnt and challenges. The results of the
review informed the development the 2015-2022 NPA.
The development of this NPA was spearheaded by NCCS through an inclusive,

participatory and widely consultative process with representation of key stakeholders
among them children, ministries, government departments and agencies, development
partners, non-state actors, community and faith based organizations working with and
for children.
The NPA 2015-2022 has been aligned to the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and been
designed to contribute to the realization of the goals of Kenya Vision 2030. It has
also taken into consideration the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will
succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that contain a wide range of
proposed activities aimed at safeguarding children’s rights to survival, development,
protection and participation.
The NPA has also been informed by the Children Act, 2001, recommendations
of the ACRWC(2015), Situational Analysis of Children and Women Report 2014,
Violence Against Children Report, 2010, the findings of the 2008-09 and 2014 Kenya
Demographic and Health Surveys, 2012 and 2015 Economic Surveys, findings from the
tools administered to County Children Coordinators and Children, National Children
Policy and other relevant documents.
The NPA provides an operational framework to guide stakeholders and partners in

coordinating, planning, implementing and monitoring programmes for the child. In
addition, it outlines priorities and interventions necessary for the progressive realization
of children’s rights in Kenya. These priorities and interventions are designed to address
the specific gaps identified by stakeholders.
The overall management, oversight and coordination of the NPA will be the responsibility
of the NCCS with support from relevant stakeholders as stipulated in the framework.
The NPA has defined some priorities and interventions to address the gaps identified
as necessary for the progressive realization of children’s rights in Kenya. It aims at
coordinating and integrating ongoing sector-specific efforts to avoid any overlap and to
ensure optimization of resources and benefits for children and young people in Kenya.
2
Further, it complements and integrates ongoing government sector-specific plans,

development partner plans including UN agencies, non-state actors and other key
stakeholders working with and for children.
There are emerging issues, anticipated challenges and risks in the actualization of this
NPA. These include:
• Inadequate disaggregated data and information from various regions and sectors
to inform the Plan on situations of various categories of children.
• Weak enforcement of legislation and policies.
• Inadequate coordination of services among key stakeholders in the children sector.
• Inadequate resources to implement the planned activities.
• High levels of poverty as 46% of the population lives below the poverty line and
may not be able to contribute to the realization of the Plan.
The NPA is organized according to the four pillars of the UNCRC which are; survival,
development, protection and participation. The first four chapters begin by highlighting
the overall situation for each pillar, the legal and policy framework as well as the planned
activities to achieve relevant targets during the period 2015-2022.
Coordination and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) mechanisms are important processes
of any plan of action and have been incorporated in this NPA. Coordination ensures
that the planned activities run smoothly while M&E helps in improving performance.
The plan also highlights expected outcomes, broad objectives, outputs, indicators and
time frame, which are stipulated in the planning matrix.
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CHAPTER ONE
RIGHT TO SURVIVAL
1.0 RIGHT TO SURVIVAL

Article 6 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children (UNCRC)
recognizes that every child has an inherent right to life and that state parties shall
ensure, to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child. It
further states in Article 24, that children have the right to good quality healthcare, to
safe drinking water, nutritious food, a clean and safe environment, and information to
help them stay healthy. The article further underscores the right of the child to the
enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for treatment of
illness and rehabilitation of health. Health is therefore of central importance because
the enjoyment of various other rights is based on the extent to which health is secured.
Article 14 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC)
recognizes that every child shall have the right to enjoy the best attainable state of
physical, mental and spiritual health.
Article 43 (a) of the Kenya Constitution states that “Every person has the right to the
highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to healthcare services,
including reproductive health care; access to reasonable standards of sanitation; to be
free from hunger and have adequate food of acceptable quality; to clean and safe water
in adequate quantities; and a person shall not be denied emergency medical treatment”.
The Kenya Vision 2030 Medium Term Plan (MTP) II states that the Government will
put emphasis on universal access to healthcare, preventive and primary healthcare,
clean water, management of communicable disease,s maternal and child health, and
non-communicable diseases. It will also invest in medical research, pharmaceutical
production and health tourism as a means of diversifying external revenue sources and
serve as a regional hub for health services.
For a state to achieve maximum development, it must accord high priority to its human
resource. In providing healthcare services to children both curative and preventive
measures must be considered. This entails providing:
• Antenatal care.
• Safe motherhood.
4
• Enhanced immunization coverage.

• Balanced nutrition.
• Safe drinking water and sanitation.
• Control and management of malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and HIV and AIDS
among others.
1.1 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS, 2014) infant and
child mortality decreased significantly between 2010 and 2014. Much of the reduction
was due to reduced malaria deaths, increased immunization and expansion of low-cost
health interventions.
Over the last few years, Kenya also made good progress in adopting various policies
and commitments such as a Food and Nutrition Security Policy, the Breast Milk
Substitute and Control Bill, legislation for mandatory fortification of wheat flour, maize
flour and oil with vitamins, and joining the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement.
Even with all these policies in place, the nutrition related MDGs had the most unequal
progress because the poorest households and children were the most deprived. The
other MDGs in this category were those dealing with sanitation, and access to skilled
deliveries. Several initiatives like the beyond zero campaign have been launched to
address maternal, newborn and child health in Kenya.
Currently, half of all child deaths are due to newborn infections and pneumonia, with
diarrhoea and HIV also contributing significantly. The low percentage of deliveries
by skilled personnel is a major underlying cause of infant mortality. While the recent
introduction of new vaccinations offers some prospect of reducing the burden of
diarrhoea and pneumonia, sustained progress will require increasing mothers’ access
to antenatal, skilled delivery, Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT)
services and better newborn care. Realizing children’s rights to survival, growth and
development will also require extension of low-cost community-based interventions
to the very poor children.
1.2.1 Infant and child mortality

As at 2014, the infant mortality rate stood at 39 deaths per 1,000 live births, down
from 52 in 2008-09. The level of under-five mortality is 52 deaths per 1000 live births
up from 74 in 2008-09. This means that at least 1 in every 19 children born in Kenya
between 2008-2009, died before celebrating their third birthday (KDHS, 2014).
5
The improvement in child survival can be attributed to increased usage of mosquito nets
among children and improved maternal health including, an increase in the proportion
of births assisted by a skilled provider and delivered in a health facility, and an increase
in postnatal care (KDHS, 2014). Despite the major gains in reducing infant and child
mortality, there are still some major challenges that eventually lead to mortality. These
include:
• Poor access to health services
• Long distances to a health facilities
• Inadequacies in the healthcare system such as lack of essential drugs, supplies and
personnel
• Poor environmental and living conditions such as unhygienic practices at household
level, malnutrition and poverty
• Diseases
• Early childhood or birth complications such as, low birth weight, and infections
such as sepsis, meningitis, HIV and malaria
1.2.2 Causes of child and maternal mortality in Kenya

i) Pneumonia
Pneumonia is the main cause of death for about 21,000 Kenyan children under the
age of five, each year and it is the leading cause of childhood morbidity in areas with
low prevalence of malaria (WHO 2010 and KPHC 2009). A large proportion of the
caregivers of these children only initiate treatment when the illness becomes severe.
Causes of under-five deaths in Kenya
7%
2% HIV/AIDS
24%
Meningitis
Neonatal tetanus
Measles
Malaria
35%
Diarrhoea
15% Injuries
Pneumonia
5% Others
9% 3%0%
Figure 1: Causes of under-five deaths in Kenya Source:WHO/CHERG, 2012
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ii) Malaria
Appropriate and timely treatment of children with suspected malaria remains a
particular challenge in Kenya. According to the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation,
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, ICF Macro and the 2010 Kenya Malaria Indicators
Survey, fewer than one in six children with suspected malaria, including those in endemic
regions, access treatment with the recommended line of treatment on the same day of
falling ill or the following one.
One major milestone in the fight against childhood deaths caused by malaria has been
the increased ownership and use of insecticide-treated nets. Findings, from the 2014
KDHS indicate that 59 percent of children under five slept under a mosquito net the
night before the survey while 54 percent slept under an insecticide-treated net (ITN).
Further, in households with at least one ITN, 77 percent of children under age five
slept under and ITN the night before the survey. Children and pregnant women in the
malaria-prone regions of Western, Nyanza, and Coast were more likely to have slept
under and ITN the night before the survey compared with those in other regions.
iii) Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is the third leading cause of under-five mortality in Kenya. Oral Rehydration
Therapy (ORT), which involves a prompt increase in the child’s intake of fluids, is a
simple and effective response to diarhoeal illness. The number of children given a
solution prepared using a packet of oral rehydration salts increased from 39 percent
in 2008-2009 KDHS to 65 percent in the 2014 KDHS. North Eastern region has the
lowest percentage of children receiving ORT at 65.6 percent.
iv) Immunization coverage

Kenya has recorded an increase of almost 20 percent in immunization over the past four
years according to administrative data provided by the Ministry of Health. 84 percent
of children less than one year of age have received all scheduled routine vaccines.
This shows an improvement from the 65 percent reported in the 2008-2009 KDHS
Survey. Although the number of un-immunized children has declined over the years, an
estimated 176,000 children did not receive any routine vaccine in 2011.
The 2014 KDHS indicates that the proportion of children fully vaccinated in North
Eastern and Nairobi regions are low compared to other regions, with only 42 and 60
percent of children fully immunized respectively. Coverage levels are close to 78 percent
for children in Central and Eastern regions. Counties with low fully-vaccinated coverage
were Mandera at 28 percent and, Migori and Wajir at 38 percent each. Coverage levels
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were high in Nandi, Vihiga and Tharaka-Nithi counties with 94 percent for Nandi and
91 percent for both Vihiga and Tharaka-Nithi counties.
In 2012, measles caused 67 child deaths. The accumulation of un-immunized children

over the years led to a measles outbreak affecting children up to 15 years of age and an
outbreak of polio also occurred in 2011 in Rongo, Western Kenya.
Neonatal tetanus is estimated to cause approximately 2 percent of neonatal deaths

with only 74 percent of children protected at birth.
v) Maternal health
A mother’s good health represents the child’s best hope for survival. When a mother
dies, is weakened by a disability or is overwhelmed by the needs of many children her
children’s lives are threatened – and too often lost. Conversely, if a mother’s health and
well-being are supported together with child survival efforts, then mothers, children and
the entire society benefits. Good maternal health focuses on several issues described
below.
a) Antenatal Care: The proportion of women making at least 4 (which is the recommended
number) antenatal care visits to a professional healthcare provider increased from 88
to 96 percent between 2003 and 2014 (KDHS, 2014).
b) Skilled Delivery: The percentage of births attended to by a skilled provider and the
percentage deliveries occurring in health facilities increased by about 20 percentage
points from 2013 to 2014 (KDHS, 2014).
c) Access to Family Planning: The level of current contraception use is the most widely
employed and valuable measure of the success of family planning programmes. The
contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) is usually defined as the percentage of currently
married women who are currently using a method of contraception. Slightly more than
half of currently married women (58 percent) are using some method of contraception.
Contraception is more prevalent among married women in the 30-34 age-group and
lowest for women aged 15-19.
Central region has the highest contraceptive prevalence rate of 73 percent followed by
eastern region at 70 percent. Contraceptive use is lowest in the North Eastern region at
3 percent. Counties with the lowest contraceptive prevalence rates are predominantly
from northern Kenya and include; Mandera and Wajir at 2 percent, Garissa at 6 percent,
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Turkana at 10 percent and Marsabit at 12 percent (KDHS, 2014).
d) Post Natal Care: A large proportion of maternal and neonatal deaths occur during
the first 48 hours of delivery. Postnatal care is important for both the mother and the
child, to treat complications arising from delivery as well as to provide the mother with
important information on how to care for herself and the child. There is an increase
in the proportion of women receiving postnatal care from 42 percent in the 2008-09
KDHS to 51 percent in 2014 KDHS.
e) Maternal Mortality: Administrative data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) indicates
that, maternal mortality has decreased from 488 in the 2008-09 KDHS to 360 deaths
per 100,000 live births in the 2014 KDHS.This can be attributed to the provision of free
maternal health services with deliveries in public health facilities currently averaging at
80 percent.
Despite the significant gains in reducing maternal mortality, there are some complications
that may arise during pregnancy, at delivery and the after the delivery period. Some of
the causes of death include; bleeding after giving birth, high blood pressure, infections in
pregnancy, obstructed labour, complications after miscarriage, delays in decision to seek
care, long distances to health facilities and receiving adequate care at a health facility.
These problems are compounded by having weak health systems, financial challenges
and poor quality care.
vi) Child nutrition

A comparison of the 2008-09 KDHS nutrition data with that of 2014 indicates an overall
improvement in the nutritional status of children in Kenya. Stunting has decreased
from 35 to 26 percent. West Pokot and Kitui Counties have the highest proportions of
stunted children at 46 percent. Wasting also declined from 7 to 4 percent in 2014 and
the proportion of underweight children declined from 16 to 11 percent.
The proportion of children younger than 6 months who were exclusively breastfed
increased from 32 percent in 2008-09 KDHS to 61 percent in 2014. The proportion
of children less than 6 months using a bottle with a nipple has also decreased from 25
percent in 2008-09 to 11 percent in 2014. Optimal breast feeding and complimentary
feeding practices are essential to meet the nutritional needs of children in the first
years of life.
The challenges of under nutrition are particularly due to poor maternal micro-nutrient
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status and consequently low birth weights, poor infant feeding practices, lack of access
to safe water, inadequate sanitation and safe hygiene practices, as well as malaria and
HIV and AIDS (KNBS & ICF Macro, 2010).
vii) HIV and AIDS in Children

HIV and AIDS is a major threat to child survival and development as it affects the
nutritional status of children and leads to increased incidences of common infections.
The Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey (KAIS) 2012 reported that 191, 840 children below
the ages of 14 are living with HIV. New HIV infections in children reduced from 23,000
in 2007 to 12940 in 2013 (KAIS, 2013; NACC, 2014).
The main mode of transmission of HIV to children is through their mothers. As a strategy
to eliminate this transmission there is need for HIV testing and increased Prevention of
Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) coverage among pregnant women. As of 2013,
HIV testing rates had increased to 92.2 percent up from 68.3 percent in 2009. Over
the same period, PMTCT prophylaxis coverage reduced to 70.6 percent down from
73 percent. The percentage of pregnant women accessing comprehensive EMTCT
services, between 2011 and 2013, increased from 65 to 71 percent. The percentage of
HIV-exposed infants who received a virological test for HIV within 2 months of birth
increased from 39 percent in 2011 to 45 percent in 2013 (KARPR 2014).
1.2.3 Children with disabilities, special needs, chronic illnesses and

conditions
Article 23 (children with disabilities) of the UNCRC states that children who have any
kind of disability have the right to special care and support as well as all the rights in
the convention, so they can live full and independent lives.
Children with special needs require different interventions beyond the health sector,
which include but not limited to, education, social rehabilitation, mental and psychological
support. Those with chronic illnesses and conditions require regular medical check up
and treatment as deemed appropriate.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Care and Support

Mental health refers to a broad array of activities directly or indirectly related to the
mental wellbeing component included in the WHO definition of health. The WHO
definition of health states that it is ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social
wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease. It is related to the promotion of
10
wellbeing prevention of mental disorders and the treatment and rehabilitation of people
affected by mental illness and disorders.’
The Mental Health Act 2013 provides for the prevention of mental illness care,
treatment and rehabilitation of persons with mental illness. As per the 2009 KPHC the
total number of children with mental illness was 52,712, of which 28,913 were male and
23,799 were female.
1.2.4 Adolescent health

According to the 2014 KDHS, 18 percent of children become teenage parents and this
has not changed since the 2008-09 KDHS. The percentage of women who have begun
child bearing increases rapidly with age, from about 3 percent among women aged 15,
to 40 percent among women aged 19.
Teenagers from poor households are more likely to have begun child bearing at 26
percent than teenagers from poorer households at 10 percent. Prevalence of child
bearing is highest in Nyanza region followed by Rift Valley and Coast.
According to the Plan of Action for Adolescents 2005-2015, the main issues and
challenges for Kenyan adolescents are: limited access to reproductive health information
and services, risky sexual behavior, engagement in harmful practices such as female
genital mutilation/cutting, early and arranged/ forced marriages, sexual abuse, gender
based violence and exploitation, and drug and substance abuse. To improve adolescent
health, adolescent programmes must be enhanced and shared widely.
1.2.5 Health sector service delivery

Integrated health services encompass the management and delivery of quality and
safe health services so that people receive a continuum of health promotion, disease
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, disease management, rehabilitation and palliative care
service through the different levels and sites of care within the health system and
according to their needs throughout their life course.
People centered care is care that is focused on the health needs and expectations of
people and communities rather than on diseases. Patient-centered care is commonly
understood as focusing on individuals seeking care, and encompasses clinical encounters
as well attention to the health of people in their communities and their role in shaping
health policy and services (WHO, 2015).
11
a)Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Article 43(1) of the Kenya Constitution states that every person has the right to clean
and safe water in adequate quantities and to reasonable standards of sanitation.
Inadequate access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services coupled with poor
hygiene practices are leading causes of illness in children which sometimes ends in death.
Generally, illness among children leads to impoverishment and diminished opportunities.
Poor sanitation, water and hygiene have many other serious repercussions on children,
particularly girls who are denied their rights to education because their schools lack
private and descent sanitation facilities.
In Kenya, diarrheal disease remains the second leading cause of under-five mortality
and 26 percent of children under five are stunted, largely due to poor nutrition, lack
of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services, and poor uptake of sanitation and
hygiene behaviors.Waterborne diseases such as cholera have worse effects on mortality
and morbidity of children and mothers.
According to the KDHS 2008-09 access to safe drinking water increased from 74
and 32 percent in urban and rural areas respectively, to 91 and 54 percent from 2003
to 2008/09. Sanitation improved from 95 and 79 percent in urban and rural areas
respectively in 2003 to 99 and 84 percent in 2008/2009.
The Ministry of Health launched a nationwide campaign in May 2011, dubbed Open
Defecation Free (ODF) Rural Kenya by 2013. It provides a roadmap that has been
aligned to the policy and guides the process towards attainment of the national goals in
the Vision 2030 blue print. The water sector’s priority is to mobilize sufficient funding,
attention, and political goodwill to accelerate the achievement of the target. There are
concerted efforts to towards addressing WASH issues in the country with a number of
initiatives launched including the Kenyan Water Sector Investment Programme (KWSIP)
(under the Ministry of Water and irrigation’s Sector Coordination Unit established in
2010) and the formulation of the National Water Master Plan.
Some of the challenges affecting WASH in Kenya include; inadequate budgetary

allocation for rural and urban water supply, little attention to sanitation and inadequate
data management and monitoring systems.
b) Human Resource for Health

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 has assigned the larger portion of delivery of health
12
services to the 47 counties. These 47 counties will bear overall responsibility for
planning, financing, coordinating delivery and monitoring of health services towards the
fulfillment of the right to ‘the highest attainable standard of health,’ contained in the bill
of rights.
In the devolved government system, the Kenya Health Policy 2012-2030 provides
guidance to the health sector in terms of identifying and outlining the activities geared
towards achieving the government’s health goals. Several challenges in the delivery of
primary healthcare persist in many counties. Kenya can get better value for money by
first focusing on making existing primary healthcare facilities functional so as to deliver
quality health services.
Kenya has an average of 19 doctors and 166 nurses per 100,000 people, compared
to the WHO recommended minimum staffing levels of 36 doctors and 356 nurses
per 100,000 people (Gre´pin and Savedoff 2009). According to the Human Resource
for Health Assessment report for Kenya, Northern Kenya has the lowest percentage
distribution of health professional cadres with the number of doctors, nurses and clinical
officers being 2, 2 and 3 percent respectively. When compared against the national
situation, Northern Kenya has 3 percent of the total national number of medical cadres
to serve a population of 6 percent while Nairobi province has 9 percent of all medical
cadres with a population of 8 percent.
According to the National Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan 2009-2012 the
shortage of human resources is attributed to staff attrition, out-migrations to other
countries and inter-sector migrations. The situation is made worse by the persistent
inability to attract and retain health workers in the public sector and particularly in
deprived and rural areas. There is regional imbalance in the distribution of health
workers as they are mainly found in urban areas.
1.3 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

The right to child survival is included in a number of articles within the Constitution.
These articles give children rights to healthcare, basic nutrition, shelter, survival, and
education.
In line with UNCRC, ACRWC and the Children Act (2001), all children have a right
to accessible, affordable and quality health services. Effective health services should
ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate active participation of children in the
community. Article 24 of the UNCRC clearly states that, ‘parties recognize the right of
13
the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities
for treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.’
The period 2010-2012 saw several significant policy developments in the area of health
that were guided by the Constitution. Major new policies include a Health Policy
Framework, a Kenya Health Sector Strategic Plan III and a Health Law were also
drafted. Significant policy developments in relation to children’s rights to health include:
• An Essential Package for Health.

• Kenya Health Sector Strategic Plan KHSSP III 2013-2017.
• Kenya National Pharmaceutical Policy (KNPP).
• Haemophilus influenzae Type B and pneumococcal vaccines.
• The Food and Nutrition Security Policy.
• The Breast Milk Substitutes Regulation and Control Bill.
• The National Infant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN) Strategy.
• A National Nutrition Action Plan for Kenya.
• Mandatory fortification.
• Increased budgetary allocation to health to reach Abuja target of 15% of
government annual budget.
• Kenya National HCT guidelines 2008.
• HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act 2006.
• Kenya HIV Prevention Revolution Road Map – count down to 2030.
• Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework 2014/2015.
• Kenya Aids Indicator Survey 2013.
• Ministerial Commitment on Comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and
reproductive health services for adolescent and young people in Eastern and
Southern Africa, 2013.
• The National Water Policy 2012.
• The Water Bill 2013.
• The Water Sector Strategic Plan.
• The Government-adopted Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS).
• Both the Medium Term Plan I and the KHSSP.
• National School Health Policy and Guidelines.
• Manual and Guidelines on the Identification and Referral of Children with
Disabilities and Special needs – MOH 2010.
• Training Manual for Health Workers on Prevention, Early Identification and
Intervention of Disabilities – MOH 2013.
• The Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy 2005-2015.
14
Despite the existence of these policies, issues of adolescence health and youth living with
disabilities have not been adequately addressed. There is also little or no information
on adolescent health for youth with disabilities and therefore no basis for developing
appropriate policies.
1.4 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHTS TO SURVIVAL

1. Share the health budget equitably across the counties.
2. Enhance the focus on reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality rates with
more emphasis on the following regions, North Eastern, Nyanza, Western, Eastern
and Coast regions.
3. Provide a multi-sectoral response to stunting, immunization, diarrhea, pneumonia
and malaria amongst children. Greater attention should be paid to North Eastern,
Nyanza, Western, Eastern and Coast regions.
4. Free maternity care to be scaled up for mothers to access maternity services.
5. Develop a creative and sustainable financing mechanism for the community health
system.
6. Develop a comprehensive communication strategy for child survival.
7. Strengthen data-driven planning and programming for programme improvement.
8. Strengthen efforts to reduce HIV infection amongst infants, children and women
in high burden areas.
9. Increase provision and quality of antenatal care, postnatal care, pediatric care and
treatment.
10. Ensure children with mental illnesses receive psychosocial care and support.
11. Promote awareness for so that children with mental illnesses to receive
psychosocial care and support.
12. Ensure children with disabilities, special needs, chronic illnesses and conditions
access health services equitably.
13. Advocate for age-appropriate HIV and AIDS education among adolescents.
14. Increase efforts to protect and rehabilitate the catchment areas.
15. Develop a policy for community-led total sanitation.
16. Publish the water sector transition implementation plan (as a gazette notice).
17. Provide a complete WASH package of latrines, water supply, hand washing facilities
and materials, as well as hygiene promotion, in schools and health centers.
15
CHAPTER TWO
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
2.0 RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT
Child development refers to the biological, cognitive and socio-emotional changes that
take place in human beings between 0 – 18 years of age (Santrock, 2010).
Child development can be understood from various dimensions physical, social,

emotional, cognitive and spiritual.
• Physical development refers to growth and ability of a child to use his /her body
and physical skills.
• Social development focuses on child’s ability to relate positively with other people
at different stages of life.
• Emotional development pertains to a child’s inner feelings and reactions towards
different situations.
• Mental development is the ability of a child to have healthy brain development
that enhances their abilities for decision making, problem solving and language
development.
• Psychosocial development is an integral part of children’s holistic development with
emphasis on intellectual, social and emotional development. It includes increasing
capacities for analysis, perception, cognition, decision making, interpersonal
relationships and responding appropriately to the environment (REPSSI, 2007).
Holistic development ensures children’s social and emotional development progresses

simultaneously with their physical and cognitive development. It is informed by a
range of skill areas including the child’s physical and mental wellbeing, educational
development, brain development, language and speech development, intellectual ability,
creativity and the formation of identity. Play and recreation, parental and family care, a
secure environment, quality standard of living and access to appropriate information
are essential for child development.
The child’s right to development is captured in the Children’s Act 2001 and the UNCRC.
The following articles in the UNCRC highlight the right to development; right to free
and compulsory education, parental love and care (Articles 5, 7, 9 and 19), access to
16
appropriate information (Article 17), Social security including social insurance (Article
26) and (Article 28), right to rest, play, leisure and recreation (Article 31).

Evidence on country level achievements on child development is minimal with most
information concentrating on education with little focus on play, recreation and leisure,
parental and family care, and access to information. Despite the existence of numerous
policies and guidelines for children, there is gap in tracking their effects on holistic child
development.
2.1.1 Education
Global evidence shows that the attainment of universal education for all is far from
being realized. 5.3 million children aged 6-17 years are deprived of adequate education
in Kenya, which is as a result of geographical location, gender and wealth distribution
(NCCS, 2014). In addition, drought and security related emergencies, frequent man-
made and natural disasters, conflicts and clashes, and the flow of refugees have put
pressure on the education system hence affecting the realization of universal education.
a) Early child development education

Early Child Development Education (ECDE) is important to build a strong foundation
for cognitive, socio-emotional and health development that maximizes on the child’s
learning potential. The Sessional Paper (2012) proposes the integration of health and
nutritional support for under-five year olds attending day care centers and ECDE to
enhance holistic child development. Kenya Constitution 2010 devolved the management
of ECDE to the county level so as to ensure all children below of 5 years have access
to ECDE.
Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) increased from 60.2 percent to 66.3 percent, whereas
Net Enrollment Rate (NER) increased from 43.0 per cent to 53.3 percent in 2012 against
a target of 76.6 percent. (MTP II). Despite the gains, the sub-sector still faces several
challenges such as inadequate resource allocation and weak institutionalization of the
existing polices and guidelines. Low levels of NER are attributable to low participation
across the country because ECDE is not mainstreamed into basic education (MTP II).
b) Special needs education

It is estimated that only 2-3 percent of disabled children in poor countries go to school
(World Bank, 2009). In Kenya this has been achieved through the 3464 special needs
17
institutions out of which 2713 are integrated and 734 are special needs schools. One of
the major achievements in special needs education has been the integration of special
needs education in primary schools through promoting inclusive education. Evidence
shows that the distribution of the schools does not meet the demand.
A major challenge for Kenya is lack of data on children with special needs to inform
effective special education service delivery and planning.
c) Primary education
According to the Ministry of Education (MOE), the net enrollment in primary school
increased from 76 per cent in 2002, to 95.3 per cent in 2012 because of the introduction
of free primary education. In 2014 total enrollment in primary schools increased to
10 million from 9.38 million in 2010. The Gross enrollment rate for primary schools in
2013 was at 105 percent and 103.5 percent in 2014. The number of primary schools
increased from 24,489 in 2010 to 29,460 in 2014. The teacher to children ratio is
43:1 teacher from 54:1 in 2010. (2012, 2015 Economic Surveys) Despite the increase
the high pupil: teacher ratios inadequate infrastructure have compromised the quality
of education and learning. In addition gender and regional disparities in access and
participation in primary education has remained a challenge.
d) Secondary education
Free secondary tuition increased enrollment by 15 percent between 2008 and 2010.
Transition from primary to secondary improved from 57.3 percent in 2005 to 76
percent in 2012.
The number of secondary schools increased from 7,268 in 2010 to 8,747 in 2014. The
total enrollment in secondary schools increased from 1.65 million in 2010 to 2.1 million
in 2014 (Economic Surveys, 2012, 2015). Despite the increase in total enrollments in
secondary schools and the increased of schools the shortage of places in secondary
school to absorb primary school graduates , gender disparities, house hold poverty
,regional disparities and failure to have a flexible curriculum to respond to children in
hard to reach areas and school unrest are major challenges in this level of education.
Shortage of places in secondary school to absorb primary school graduates, gender

disparities, household poverty, regional disparities, failure to have a flexible curriculum
to respond to children in hard to reach areas and school unrest are major challenges
at this level of education.
18
e) Non-formal education (NFE)

Non-formal schools in Kenya are located in urban slums and arid and semi arid regions.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and religious institutions are the key drivers of this
sector. Non-formal school education poses challenges of performance and transition
to secondary school due to non-certified and uncoordinated teachers compromising
quality education, sub-standard teaching and learning material, lack of clear policy
guidelines for the players in the sector, lack of data on NFE pupils and lack of a monitoring
and evaluating mechanism (MOE, 2010).
2.1.2 Recreation, leisure, play and cultural activities

Article 12 of the ACRWC states that States Parties must recognize the right of the
child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the
age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. It further states
that States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to fully participate
in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision appropriate and equal
opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.
The government has put measures in place to promote recreation, leisure and play.
In the National Children Policy 2010, the government provides for provision of child-
friendly and well equipped community parks for play and leisure, for the continued
holistic development of children (NCCS, 2010). The challenge is the institutionalization
of the policy in the overall child development sector.
2.1.3 Access to appropriate information

Children have a right to accurate and appropriate information for socialization and to
prepare them for various challenges in life. Sources of information for children include
family members, schools, religious institutions, peers, and electronic and print media.
The challenge is the cost of accessing child-friendly content and the emergence of
various information sharing platforms that expose children to inappropriate content. A
weak legislative and policy environment has exposed children to inappropriate content.
2.1.4 Parental and family care

Parents and families have the most direct and lasting impact on a child’s learning and
development of social competence (Adams & Baronberg, 2014) .The government has
developed policies that promote parental and family care for children by encouraging
family, kinship, foster care, adoption and guardianship. The breakdown of the African
social support system coupled with man-made and natural disasters have led to family
19
National Plan of Action for Children in Kenya2015-2022
disintegration that exposes children to risks.These effects have compromised the quality
of parenting, child growth and development. There has been an increase in children
living in the streets, child-headed households, children living with elderly caregivers and
numerous cases of anti-social behavior in children.
2. 2 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

The legal framework for child development is anchored in the UNCRC, ACWRC,
the Constitution of Kenya 2010, the Children Act 2001 and the National Children
Policy 2010. The different line ministries and departments have policies, standards and
guidelines that are aligned to these instruments and include:
• The Basic Education Act (2013).
• Teachers Service Commission Act (2012).
• The National Special needs Education Policy framework (2009).
• National School Health Policy (2010).
• National Early Childhood Development Policy Framework (2006).
• Policy for Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training (2009).
• Policy Framework for Nomadic Education in Kenya (2010).
• The Guidelines for Child Participation in Kenya (2006).
• Guidelines for the Formation and Operation of Area Advisory Council, (2006).
• Training Resource Manual for Area Advisory Councils (2007).
• The Framework for National Child Protection System Kenya (2011).
• Good Practice in Child Care: A Manual for Children Caregivers (2011).
• Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008).
• Kenya Children Policy (2010).
• The National Police Service Act (2011).
2.3 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT

1. Increase enrollment in ECDE.
2. Increase enrollment in primary education.
3. Implement the child-friendly schools framework.
4. Support enrollment of children with special needs in special education.
5. Advocate for the guidelines for daycare centers.
6. Promote secondary school.
7. Promote recreation, leisure and play for children.
8. Improve reporting for activities, targeting recreation, leisure and play for children.
9. Integrate family centered approach in child development programs.
10.Promote positive and effective parenting programs.
11.Promote children’s access to accurate and appropriate information through print
20
and electronic media and other community initiatives.

12.Promote integration of cultural activities in the school curriculum.
13.Implement life skills and mentorship programs.
14.Improve and increase infrastructure for special needs schools and provide
assistive devices.
15. Advocate for children access to play, leisure, recreation and cultural activities at
home and in schools in addition to community parks.
16.Strengthen non-formal education
21
CHAPTER THREE
CHILD PROTECTION
3.0 RIGHT TO PROTECTION
Child protection refers to preventing and responding to violence, exploitation, neglect
and abuse against children – (UNICEF, 2006).
The UNCRC in various articles further outlines that state parties should protect
children from drugs and substance abuse, child labour, child trafficking, sexual abuse
and exploitation. Children should also be protected against the negative impact of
information and communication technologies and media, retrogressive cultural
practices and harm by caregivers. Moreover, there are categories of children requiring
special protection including internally displaced children, children living with disabilities,
refugees, children in conflict with the law and those in alternative family care.
Article 39 of the UNCRC States that, parties shall take all appropriate measures to
promote physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim
of: any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts. Such recovery and
reintegration shall take place in an environment which fosters the health, self-respect
and dignity of the child. Psychosocial support can offer both proactive measures for
protection as well as healing through resilience building. This can be done through
empowering children, families and communities on psychosocial care and support.
Article 53 (1)d of the 2010 Kenya Constitution provides for protection from abuse,
neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence, inhumane treatment and
punishment, and hazardous or exploitative labour. Article 19 of the UNCRC states
that children have the right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, physically
or mentally. Various articles of the African Charter provide for children’s rights to
protection and also define responsibilities of various duty bearers.
The Kenya National Children’s Policy 2010 provides that all children especially those
with disabilities and those with special needs have a right to be protected form any
harm that may interfere with their growth and development. The policy also proposes
actions that ensure that children access birth registration and identity cards when they
come of age. It also proposes systematic approaches to child protection.
22
3.1 SITUATION ANALYSIS

The review of the National Plan of Action 2008-2012 indicates that the Constitution
and specific legislation have strengthened the framework for child protection in several
areas, including trafficking of persons, control of alcoholic drinks, and prohibition of
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) among others. However, children continue to be
vulnerable to a wide range of risks including abandonment, violence, sexual abuse,
trafficking, sexual exploitation, hazardous labour and harmful substances among others.
The findings of the situation analysis of children and women in Kenya revealed that
factors that necessitate child protection as high poverty, the impact of HIV and AIDS,
family disintegration and break down of community structures (NCCS, GOK & UNICEF,
2014). At the same time, moral decadence in society only makes things worse.
Kenya is making significant progress in putting in place a responsive child protection

system but major gaps still exist. Such gaps include an inadequate civil registration and
vital statistics system which leaves many children unregistered and creates barriers
for children to access services. Inadequate personnel, knowledge and limited child
protection infrastructure also hamper the ability of service providers to respond to
needs. Kenya has an elaborate legal and policy framework to protect children from all
forms of abuse and exploitation. However, enforcement and delayed justice remain a
major challenge.
3.1.1 Violence against children

Results from the national survey on violence against children conducted in 2010
established that violence against children is threefold (UNICEF, CDC & KNBS, 2012):
i) Sexual violence and exploitation: which involves unwanted sexual touching, attempted
unwanted sex, physical forced sex, receiving money in exchange for sex among others.
ii) Physical violence: involves physical acts of violence such as being slapped, pushed, hit
with a fist, kicked, or whipped, or threatened with a weapon such as a gun or knife.
iii) Emotional violence: which entails emotional abuse such as verbal abuse, being made to feel
unwanted, or being threatened with abandonment.
Figure 2 shows that by18 years of age, 73 percent of boys and 60 percent of girls
have experienced physical violence. Children that experienced sexual violence were
reported to be about 18 percent of boys and 32 percent of girls. Emotional violence
was experienced by 32 percent of boys and 25.8 percent of girls. There is therefore a
clear indication that physical violence is a threat to child protection.
The findings from the tool administered to County Children Coordinators by the
23
Violence against children
25.80%
Experienced emotional violence prior to age 18
31.90%
66%
Experienced physical violence prior to age 18
73%
31.90%
Experienced sexual violence prior to age 18
17.50%
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00%
Girls Boys
Figure 2:Violence aganist children Source :Violence Against Children study, 2012
Main causes of child rights violations
Weak enforcement of FGM Act
Alcoholism
Tribal clashes
Labour laws
Orphanhood
Moral degradation
Alcohol & drug abuse

Causes
Lack of parental care
Illiteracy
Weak structures
Child
Divorce
Lack of awareness
Ignorance
Cultural beliefs
Poverty
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Percentage
Figure 3: Why children are violated Source - NCCS & KNBS 2014
24
National Council for Children Services and analyzed by the Kenya National Bureau of
Statistics (KNBS) indicated that poverty is the leading cause of neglect and violence
against children in Kenya as shown in figure 3.The Violence Against Children (VAC) 2010
report and findings of NCCS and KNBS assessment, indicate that parents were the
most common perpetrators of violence against children, closely followed by teachers
and religious leaders, and other people unknown to them. The VAC report concludes
that sexual and physical violence does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity or
socio-economic status.
3.1.2 Child neglect

Child neglect constitutes the largest percentage of child protection cases reported to
the Department of Children’s Services, rising from 21,496 to 49,057 during the period
2005-2010. According to the Department of Children Services, majority of the cases
involve neglect by fathers. Many neglect cases have led to children being removed from
their families and placed in alternative family care institutions.
3.1.3 Child labour

It is estimated that there are 1.01 million working children and 700, 000 of them are
engaged in hazardous child labor. This was a reduction from 1.9 million estimated in
1998/9 census report. The reduction is largely attributed to implementation of free
Perpetrators of violence against children

1%
1% 1% Parents
6% Relatives
2% 2%
Teachers
23%
Community
3%
Neighbours
3%
Caregivers
5% Guardians
Children themselves
5% Religious leaders
Family friends
14%
Unemployed youth
6%
Tourists
People in authority
7%
Bodaboda operators
12%
10% Men
Others
Figure 4: Cases of child labour are on the rise Source: : NCCS, 2014
25
primary education. An analytical report on child labor based on KIHBS 2009, indicated
that in Kenya, 8 percent of children aged 5-17 years (1.01 million) are child laborers;
and that 90 percent of child labor is in the rural areas. The sectors that mostly use
child labor are agriculture, domestic work, informal sector, mining and fisheries (KNBS,
2005). According to the Department of Children’s Services(DCS), cases of child labor
reported at their offices have been on the increase from 1,000 in 2009 to 3,500 in
2010, as shown in figure 4. The larger Rift valley, Eastern and Central regions of Kenya
bear the greatest burden of child labor, driven by agriculture sector (KNBS, 2009).
Studies on child domestic work have revealed the need to address sexual violence and
exploitation, low awareness of HIV and AIDS and need for continuing education among
children.
3.1.4 Drug and substance abuse

According to a rapid situational assessment of drug and substance abuse done in Kenya
by National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) in
2012, 11.7 percent of young people aged 15- 24 years use alcohol, 6.2 percent use
tobacco, 4.8 percent use khat and 1.5% use cannabis. The mean age of initiation into
tobacco and alcohol use is 10 years. Drug and substance abuse among children and
youth is also made worse by unemployment, neglect, violence, sexual abuse, poverty
and other related social problems.
In an attempt to address the problem of drug and substance abuse the Government
established NACADA in July 2012 with a strengthened mandate to coordinate and
harmonize drug abuse prevention, education and awareness. A toll-free phone number
(1192) was established.
School management is supposed to ensure measures are in place to make the school
environments drug-free areas and to educate children about the dangers of drugs.
Teachers trained in counseling, including counseling against drug abuse, have been
deployed to schools to undertake counseling for children including children, who abuse
drugs or are affected by drug and substance abuse. All Government ministries are
required, through performance contracting, to report on drug-related activities.
Another study conducted by NACADA in 2010 points out that 87.8 percent of parents
indicated they had knowledge of children abusing alcohol and drugs and 12.4 percent
acknowledged that these were children under their care. It is widely recognized that
children living with parents with alcohol-related problems are more at risk of depression
and low self-esteem, and that substance abuse during adolescence is the single most
26
predictive factor for being dependent on drugs as an adult.
3.1.5 Children with disabilities:

According to the Kenya Social Protection Sector Review 2012, the total number of
children with disabilities is 349,086. Considering the stigma associated with disability
in Kenya, the real figure may be much higher. Children living with disability may be
deprived of child protection and are likely to become victims of child abuse and neglect.
Children living with disability are also vulnerable to sexual abuse. There are inadequate
institutions and expertise countrywide to address the needs of children living with
various forms of disability. The government has developed Guidelines on Identification
and Referral of Children with Disability and Special Needs. The guidelines are aimed
at health workers, as well as caregivers. A training manual for health workers on
prevention, early identification and intervention on disability is in use.
3.1.6 Child trafficking

Trafficking and sexual exploitation of children continues to be a major concern,
especially in the tourism industry in urban centers. Kenya is a country of origin, transit,
and destination for trafficked persons. Around 17,500 Kenyans are trafficked annually
for domestic work, forced labour, and commercial sexual exploitation. Judging from
international estimations on child trafficking, about 50 percent are likely to be minors
(NCCS, 2014). In 2011, the National Child Help line received 46 reports of child
trafficking and 19 concerning child prostitution. Internal human trafficking is the most
common form of trafficking in Kenya with women and children being easy victims.
Research indicates that it occurs primarily from rural to urban areas.
The National Steering Committee on counter trafficking of persons was established in

2007 with the role of coordinating national efforts towards combating human trafficking
in Kenya. The government is making significant efforts to comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking, but several critical gaps exist, such as the full
enactment of the anti-trafficking laws, and coordination of state actors. Reporting cases
continues to be a challenge since many children as well as adults lack confidence in the
effectiveness of the authorities to handle reported cases (KAP, 2011).
3.1.7 Sexual exploitation of children

The 2006 Sexual Offences Act (SOA) provides strong legal protection for victims of
sexual violence (rape, defilement, child trafficking, child prostitution, child pornography,
and other related issues). The Act clearly establishes that sexual offences are acts of
27
violence and lays emphasis on bringing the perpetrators to justice. However, major steps
need to be taken in terms of implementation, increasing coordination and resource
allocation to enable actors to provide witness protection, raise awareness about the
SOA, and improve investigative and prosecutorial capacity. Also needed is improved
provision of psycho-social support for survivors of sexual offences in Kenya (SOA
2008).
3.1.8 Street children

It is estimated that in Kenya around 250-300, 000 children live and work on the
streets. Most of them come from rural areas and from large families or single parents
(Consortium for Street Children Organization in Kenya 2007). The main reasons that
push children to the street are socio-economic factors, poverty, and lack of care in the
family setting. Many children list lack of food, abuse and lack of access to education as
the direct reasons for leaving their homes. The major pull-factor is the ability to make
money (NCCS 2014).
On the street most children face lack of food, shelter and harsh weather and face
harassment from the police and other security agents. Child prostitution is high among
these children, as they seek protection, money or food to sustain themselves.
3.1.9 Children in conflict with the law

The Kenya Constitution provides for protection of children in conflict with the law
(Article 53,1F). One of the milestones achieved so far is the establishment of child-
specific courts in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kakamega, Nakuru and Eldoret. Where these
courts do not exist children magistrates are gazetted to deal with child related matters.
Legal aid for children in the justice system is inadequate. A pilot project by the National
Legal Aid and Awareness Programme, under the Ministry of Justice, has been facilitating
the provision of legal aid services for children in conflict with the law in Nakuru and
Nairobi, which has benefited 9,462 and 967 children respectively (2010-2012), however,
many children in need of legal aid are yet benefit.
3.1.10 Retrogressive cultural practices

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is widely practiced in many Kenyan
communities. It involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or
other injury to the female organs for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons. The
practice poses risks to the health and even the life of the girls and violates human rights.
28
There is a decreases in percentage of circumcised girls between the age of 15-19 is

11 percent according to the 2014 KDHS compared to 15 percent as per the 2008-09
KDHS.
The 2014 KDHS indicates that FGM/C is nearly universal in North Eastern region at 98
percent compared with Nyanza 32 percent, Rift Valley 27 percent, and Eastern regions
26 percent. Western Region recorded the lowest prevalence at one percent.
Other forms of retrogressive cultural practices include child marriages, cattle rustling,
and taboo children among others.These practices generally lead to physical, sexual and
emotional abuse of children.
3.1.11 Children’s right to identity

The Constitution guarantees registration and nationality at birth. Mobile registration is
implemented in selected areas and online registration has been initiated. Departments
dealing with national identity cards, registration of persons, births and deaths have been
consolidated through the Kenya Citizen and Foreign National Management Services
Act 2011. Birth Certificates and passports have been decentralized through Huduma
Centers, which are progressively being established across the country.
Both the UNCRC and the ACRWC provide that every child shall be registered
immediately after birth (Articles 7 and 6 respectively). Children who do not have a birth
certificate are particularly vulnerable to child protection violations, as their age and
identity cannot be determined.Thus, they are more vulnerable and may become victims
of trafficking, be treated as adults in prison and have more difficulties in accessing social
services.The right to identity is enshrined in the Kenya Citizens’ and Foreign Nationals
Management Service Act of 2011.
The most recent statistics for birth registration in Kenya state that overall 58.4 percent
of children are registered (AVS, 2013). However, there is significant national variation
with 86.7 percent of children registered at birth in Nairobi, while only 21.25 percent
are registered in the North Eastern region (Annual Civil Registration Statistics 2010).
This is explained by low awareness of birth registration, far to reach and long distances
to the registration facilities. Birth registration for current birth, up to when a child is 6
months old, is free after which it is considered a late registration and attracts a fee.This
is compounded by strict procedures that deter parents from registering their children.
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3.1.12 Children and information and communication technologies

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have exposed children to new
forms of abuse such as child pornography or exposure to pornographic material,
cybercrime, child trafficking and kidnapping. While evidence shows an increase in these
forms of child abuse, public awareness of ICT related child abuse remains low and
legislation has not been effectively used as a deterrent. The law enforcement system is
not adequately equipped to prevent and respond to this emerging form of child abuse.
Additionally, there is need for more research to understand the magnitude of child
abuse associated with ICT in Kenya.
3.1.13 Social protection

Since 2009,Kenya has piloted and implemented a wide range of social protection initiatives,
many of which have benefited children. Examples include:-Orphans and Vulnerable
Children’s Cash Transfer, Elderly Persons Cash Transfer, Cash Transfer for Persons
with Severe Disability, Hunger Safety Net Programme, Blanket Supplementary Feeding,
Scholarships and Bursaries (Northern Kenya Education Trust (NoKet), Constituency
Bursary Scheme), Output-Based Approach (OBA) and Maternity Vouchers, National
Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) School Feeding and Home-Grown School Feeding.
These initiatives have had varying levels of success and there is need to improve on
targeting, participation of communities, identification of sustainable social protection
programs and involving local governments and civil society in advocacy and awareness
creation.
3.1.14 Parental and family care

Results of the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS Kenya, 2010) indicate that
parents were the main perpetrators of emotional violence. Poor parenting skills have
been associated with child abuse and neglect. Inability to understand behavioral changes
at various levels of child development and inappropriate reactions by parents such as
corporal punishment, lack of understanding of consequences of action or inaction,
which contribute to improper parenting. Parents therefore need more access to
information that will improve their parenting skills and probably a curriculum on the
same.Awareness efforts on the importance of sound parenting need to be strengthened
to minimize emotional violence among children
3.1.15 Children under alternative care arrangements

One of the major strides in alternative care is the launch of Guidelines for Alternative
Care for Children and Minimum Standards for Charitable Child institutions (CCI’s).
30
The Government of Kenya estimates that there are 2.4 million orphaned children due
to various causes (GOK, 2014). There are approximately 48,000 children in formal
alternative care arrangements in Kenya (SOS Children’s Village, 2013). This represents
just 4 percent of the approximately 1.2 million children in Kenya orphaned by HIV and
AIDS related deaths and often need alternative care arrangement (UNICEF, 2015).
The bulk of alternative care in Kenya, just like in most countries in Africa, is however
provided by informal arrangements. In the 1970s and 80s, approximately 35-40 percent
of the households provided informal alternative care arrangements, this proportion
has reduced by more than 10 percent due to increasingly difficult economic conditions,
rapid urbanization and the high number of women taking up formal employment (Jini,
2011).
Children in informal alternative care arrangements are also more likely to be abused,
including child labor, sexual exploitation, engaging in risky behaviors such as drug and
alcohol abuse (Save the Children, 2012). The conditional Cash transfer program has
empowered more families providing alternative care arrangements for orphans and
vulnerable children.
According to DCS September 2012 data, there are over 700 childcare institutions
in Kenya housing approximately 40,000- 42,000 children. However, the exact number
of children residing in these institutions may be higher. Out of 700 institutions, 591
are legally registered. The number of local adoptions stood at 60 percent of the total
compared to about 40 percent for inter-country adoption in 2008. The internationally
recommended good practice is to maintain inter-country adoptions at less than 30
percent of total adoptions. In Kenya, to phase out childcare institutions community-
based care is being encouraged and guidelines for this approach are being developed.
3.1.16 Orphans and children affected by HIV and AIDS

According to the 2014 SITAN, Approximately 3.6 million Kenyan children are orphans
or otherwise classified as vulnerable. Most of these children are separated from their
parents due to parents’ death, poverty, natural disasters, and disintegration of families
through separation and divorce. An estimated one million of these children have lost
one or both parents to AIDS. Orphans and vulnerable children who lack monitored
adult care are particularly vulnerable, and may become victims of violence and abuse,
including harmful labour, recruitment into gangs and sexual exploitation. Children who
lose their parents suffer stress and trauma in addition to the loss of parental love, care
and protection and often their inheritance.
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3.1.17 Children and disasters

Disasters are divided into natural and man made disasters. Natural disasters include
floods, wild fires and mudslides while man made disasters include conflicts, war,
terrorism among others.
Children constitute 50-60 percent of those affected by disasters, wars and conflicts
(CPWG, 2013; Save the Children, 2014). An analysis of management of internally
displaced persons camps in the aftermath of the Kenya post-election violence in
2007/8, indicated that children were often abused by adults – including sexual abuse,
child labor and trafficking (Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture, 2008). Man-made
disasters such as terrorism related activities in Kenya also pose a further challenge.
Child protection risks due to disasters, wars and conflict are common yet the national
disaster preparedness unit does not have adequate guidelines and programs to protect
children.
The existing legal framework in Kenya does not allow children to be recruited in the
armed forces or to engage in active combat directly or indirectly.
According to the Kenya periodic report on the ACRWC there are concerns that
armed groups are recruiting children into criminal networks. Many children have also
been killed or maimed during armed conflicts. Protection of children in areas prone to
cattle rustling, tribal and ethnic violence and in volatile border areas such as the Kenya/
Somalia, Kenya/Sudan and Kenya/Ethiopia, is still a challenge. Radicalization of children
by terror groups equally remains a challenge despite government’s efforts to minimize
risks on children.
3.1.18 Children and climate change

According to a 2008 UNICEF study children are more susceptible to the adverse effects
of environmental degradation compared to adults. Climate change has been linked to
disasters such as drought and floods, ethno-political and resource-based conflicts, and
outbreaks of human and livestock diseases. (GOK and UNICEF, 2014). This further
increases child protection risks in the affected community and infants and younger
children are the most vulnerable.
3.1.19 Children of internally displaced families and refugees.

According to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) conflict and violence
are still on the rise in Kenya. In 2012, inter-communal and resource-based violence
32
displaced about 118,000 people due to a combination of ethnic, political and economic
factors. According to IMDC reports, a large number of Kenyan internally displaced
persons including those displaced during the post-election violence of 2007 and 2008
are still struggling to find sustainable solutions.
While Kenya made significant progress towards protection and assistance of displaced
persons, implementation of these instruments still remains a challenge.
Kenya continues to host a large number of refugee children in Dadaab and Kakuma
Refugee Camps, and over the last few years the population in the refugee camps has
grown fast due to instability in the neighboring countries mainly Somalia and South
Sudan. According to UNHCR figures there were 650, 610 refugee and asylum seekers
in Kenya in 2015 majority of them children and women. Asylum seekers and refugees
experience challenges in getting asylum and accessing international protection, essential
life-saving services in safety and security, basic shelter, primary healthcare, clean drinking
water, sanitation and hygiene services, access to education, voluntary repatriation,
resettlement and requests for alternative residency status.

Key developments in the national legislation and policies in child protection: (since
2009) are:
• Article 53 (1)d of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
• The Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Service Act enacted in
2011.
• The Counter Trafficking in Persons Act, 2010.
• The 2010 Constitution prohibits marriage of persons under the age of 18. In
addition, the Marriage Bill 2011 consolidates all marriage laws in Kenya to remove
any discriminatory provisions with respect to boys and girls (e.g. different ages for
marriage).
• Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act, 2011.
• National Standards on Best Practice in Charitable Children Institutions in 2011.
• The Alcoholic Drinks Control Act was enacted in 2010.
• Standards of Practices for Child Protection Centers in 2010
• Standards for Quality Improvement for OVC services.
• The Guidelines for Alternative Care 2014.
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Prospective legal developments:

• The Persons with Disabilities Bill (Amendments), 2012, is on course
• The Children Act 2001 is in the process of being amended.
• A draft bill called the National Registration and Identification Bill 2011.
• A Legal Aid Bill and Legal Aid Policy have been drafted and are expected to be
enacted and adopted
• The 2012 Family Protection Bill, which aims at reducing domestic violence, is
currently undergoing internal review and stakeholder consultation.
• The Refugee Act, 2006 is currently under review.
• Draft Operational Standards for Child Protection Units and a draft Police Training
Manual on Child Rights and Child Protection were developed in 2010, but are yet
to be adopted.
3.3 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHT TO PROTECTION

For the realization of child protection in Kenya, the following are the action points that
need to be in lace:
Cross cutting actions points

1. Strengthen the legal and policy frameworks including coordination for child
protection in all areas.
2. Enforcement of the provisions of the child protection system at all levels (national,
county, sub county up to community and household level.
3. Establish and strengthen institutional structures that provide child protection
services and welfare.
4. Establish and strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems in the child protection
sector (including the disaggregated information) to inform decision making at
policy and program implementation levels.
5. Improve financial and technical capacity of duty bearers.
6. Develop parenting guidelines.
7. Strengthen inter-sectoral coordination in child protection issues for the juvenile
justice system (police, probation, prison, judiciary and the Children’s Department)
education, health and social system.
8. Promote community-based economic empowerment and social protection
programs.
9. Promote social enterprise initiatives.
10.Advocate for government budgetary allocation for specific child protection
programs such as the children with disability,
11.Provide child-friendly information, education and communication materials on
34
diverse child abuse and exploitation issues.

12.Popularize and disseminate the NPA, study on violence against children and the
response plan.
13.Provide psychosocial care and support to children who have gone through child
abuse.
14.Create awareness on the provision of psychosocial care and support.
Drugs and Substance Abuse

15.Enforce laws and implement preventive and curative measures on drug and
substance abuse.
16.County governments should eliminate children’s access to drugs, alcohol and
substances of abuse.
Sexual Exploitation
17.Implement the provisions on the Sexual Offences Act 2007 on child protection.
18.Improve provision of psychosocial support for survivors of sexual offences in
Kenya.
Child Trafficking
19.Strengthen the National Steering Committee on child trafficking and implement
the provisions on counter trafficking of persons.
20.Carry out base line survey on child trafficking to stay up-to-date on interventions
that are working well.
Alternative Family Care

21. Implement the recently launched guideline on Alternative Care of Children in
Kenya.
22.Implement the recently launched minimum standards for CCIs.
23.Increase sensitization among communities on alternative care arrangements.
24.Improve monitoring of child rights in alternative family care especially among
foster parents.
25.Implement the After Care policy for children exiting from institutions.
26.Establish rescue centers and places of safety for affected children.
Child Labour (prevention and protect)

27.Implement programs that promote prevention of child labour.
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Children with Disabilities

28. Create awareness and enhance budgetary allocation for programs addressing the
needs of children with disability.
29. Promote inclusion strategies for children living with disabilities.
Children in conflict with the law or children in need of care and protection
30. Establish and improve child protection units in police stations across the country.
31. Promote legal aid for children in conflict with the law.
32. Raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years and ensure children access
justice.
33. Establish an effective reporting procedure and prosecution of child perpetrators.
34. Strengthen rehabilitation of children in conflict with the law through provision of
more child- friendly activities among other strategies.
Retrogressive cultural practices

35. Reinforce implementation of the FGM act and other legal provisions fighting
violence against children through negative beliefs and practices.
36. Elimination of Child Marriages.
37. Develop strategies to eliminate cattle rustling.
Right to identity
38. Support all interventions that aim at attaining universal birth registration.
Children and ICT

39. Carry out a baseline survey on online child protection and identify measures
that will mitigate negative effects of ICT on children including child pornography,
trafficking, and cyber bullying.
40. Initiate a comprehensive program on online child safety.
41. Sensitization to caregivers and the public on the risks children face on the internet.
42. Create awareness on the child helpline 116 online services in all the counties as
soon as they are rolled out.
Social Protection
43.Strengthen social protection programs for vulnerable children including cash
transfer for orphans and vulnerable children so as to reach all children in need,
countrywide.
44. Enforce parental responsibility on child protection.
45. Parental and family care increase access to information and to develop a curriculum
36
on skillful parenting.
46. Implementation of child protection interventions in prisons’ borstal institutions.
47. Awareness efforts on the importance of sound parenting need to be strengthened
to minimize negative influence and harm to children through poor parenting.
48. Decentralize the child helpline (116) in all counties to respond to children in
distress.
49. Create awareness on the child helpline services in all counties as soon as they
are rolled up.
50. Collect regular, comprehensive and disaggregated data on areas affecting children
51. Carry out regular research on child protection to identify emerging issues.
52. Improve on targeting, participation of communities, identify sustainable social
protection programs and involve county governments and civil society in advocacy
and awareness creation.
Children in disasters
53. The child protection service providers need to be integrated in disaster response,
preparedness, mitigation, planning and execution.
54. Enhance programs for children who need protection in disasters, conflicts and
the those affected by adverse effects of climate change.
37
CHAPTER FOUR
CHILD PARTICIPATION
4.0 PARTICIPATION
The right to participation means that children have the right to form and air views, right
to expression, right to thought, conscience and religion, right to association amongst
others. Based on evolving capacities, children have a unique body of knowledge about
their lives, needs and concerns together with ideas and views derived from direct
experience. These rights ensure that children’s views and ideas are considered in all
matters that affect them in society.
As stipulated in the UNCRC and the ACRWC, these rights include; right to form and
air views (Article 12), right to expression (Article 13), right to thought, conscience and
religion (Article 14), right to association (Article 14), and right to participate in cultural
and artistic activities (Article 31). Child participation is critical and hence the need
to seek children’s views and active involvement at all decision making levels including
home, community, school, national, regional and international platforms.
Taking cognizance of children’s views and experiences within the family, school and
other decision making levels contributes to developing children’s esteem, cognitive
abilities, social skills and respect for others.Through participation children acquire skills,
build competence and gain confidence, all which contribute to personal development.
This in turn leads to holistic development of the children into useful citizens who can
contribute to the social-economic development of the nation.
Psychosocial well-being increases the chances of a child to maximumly participate in

issues concerning them. This can help a child to become active participant on at the
right age and stage rather that becoming passive recipient of other’s decision (REPSSI,
2011).

The enactment of the 2010 Constitution was a milestone in the right to participation
in Kenya. The involvement of children and young people during the drafting of the
Constitution demonstrated the importance of meaningful participation of children and
young persons in decision-making processes that could impact their lives.
38
The NCCS developed the Guidelines for Child Participation in Kenya (Revised 2014) in
collaboration with numerous stakeholders to establish, regulate and enforce procedures
and standards for children’s involvement in different spheres of life. The guidelines
recognize that meaningful children’s participation ought to take place at various decision-
making levels that include; home, school, community, national, regional and international
platforms. These guidelines also address rules to be followed in the process of child
participation such as mutual respect for the views of all children indiscriminately, access
to information, equal rights to participation and use of appropriate methodologies
to enhance child participation. Approximately 22,000 copies of the Guidelines on
Child Participation were printed and disseminated between 2006 and 2010, across the
country.
In the year 2009/2010, the then Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development
through the NCCS and key stakeholders developed a working document that facilitated
the establishment of the Kenya Children’s Assembly (KCA).The document detailed the
establishment and operations of the Assembly in line with child participation guidelines.
Other documents developed were the Standing Orders and the Charter for the
operations of the KCA.
In addition, the Department of Children’s Services in the year 2010/2011 established

the KCA. It was also during the same year that the County Children Assemblies in all
the 47 counties in Kenya were launched and operationalized. The then deputy speaker
of the National Assembly, Mr. Farah Maalim, launched the KCA on 24 April 2012. The
event also marked the official establishment of the KCA nationwide and election of the
National Kenya Children Assembly (NKCA) officials whose term of office is two years.
The KCA meets once in a year while the county assemblies meet twice in a year and
the sub-county meets thrice in a year. A national child participation committee at the
national level is in place to ensure children’s participation in events around the country.
In 2012, six children from the NKCA attended the first East Africa Community Child
Rights Conference in Bujumbura, Burundi. The outcome of the conference was the
Bujumbura Declaration of 2012. In February 2013, KCA children participated in the
SITAN study on children, young people and women.
Other efforts by non-state actors include; capacity building of actors in the children’s
sector including children representatives, facilitation of children participation in children
voices platforms at sub-county, county, national, regional and international levels.
Through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) child participation
in management at school level has been enhanced through the establishment of student
39
councils in secondary schools and children governments in primary schools. MoEST

has scaled up the student councils and children governments to county and national
levels forming a parallel structure to the KCA. This is likely to result in duplication of
effort, inefficiency in resource management and confusion of roles and responsibilities
for children delegates’ i.e. KCA, student councils and children governments.
Historically in African societies, children were to be seen and not heard. This perception
has continued to impact negatively on child participation.

• The Constitution (Article 10) allows citizen participation, which includes children.
• Vision 2030: which aims to make Kenya a globally competitive and prosperous
nation. In the social pillar, which emphasizes a just and cohesive society, children’s
issues are addressed in the gender, youth and vulnerable groups sub-sectors.
• Participation rights are provided for under the various sections and articles in
UNCRC and ACRWC as follows:
• In the UNCRC:
• Article 12 – Respect for the views of the child.
• Article 13 – Child’s rights to freedom of expression.
• Article 14 – Child’s right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
• Article 15 – Child’s right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
• Article 17 – Access to appropriate information.
• Article 21(a) – The right to informed consent of the person concerned.
• In the ACRWC, Article 31, responsibilities of the child in the African context are
articulated.
• Children Act 2001 (Section 21), duties and responsibilities of the child are spelt
out. Further, the Act states that in any matter of procedure affecting a child, the
child shall be accorded an opportunity to express his or her opinion, and that
opinion shall be taken into account as may be appropriate, considering the age of
the child and the degree of maturity (Section 4(4).
• The National Children Policy that incorporates child participation as an integral
component, on its own and as a means to achieving other rights. It recognizes that
children are ‘implicit’ participants, beneficiaries and targets in Kenya Vision 2030.
The Government has also created institutions with specific mandates to lead the
implementation of policies and programmes aimed at fulfilling children’s rights
to participation. The establishment of the NCCS, the National Children Policy
Participation Guidelines have offered institutional support to child participation.
40
These three represent the most important milestones to institutionalize child

participation in Kenya since 2009.
• Basic Education Act, 2013, includes a provision requiring a student representative
to sit in the school board and election of student leaders (school prefects).
• Guidelines for Child Participation in 2006.
4.3 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATION

1. Strengthen county and local mechanisms for participation.
2. Strengthen children assemblies at national, county and sub-county levels.
3. Create platforms for children to participate in the county (as per the county
needs), and on national, regional and international days (on all matters that affect
children).
4. Establish platforms for children to actively and meaningfully participate in the
budget making process at various levels e.g. county, and national levels.
5. Support children to participate in the process of policy formulation / implementation
and reviews.
6. Improve quality and child friendliness of various institutions handling children.
7. Improve quality of child-friendly services e.g. police station, courts.
8. Create a clear framework for coordination of activities and initiatives designed
for children.
9. Promote and document best practices in child participation.
10. Develop a national programme to enhance the “voice’ of children focusing on the
most marginalized.
11. Document the different child participation models in Kenya.
12. Translate the 2006 Child Participation Guidelines,.
13. Develop a popular version of the 2006 Child Participation Guidelines,
14. Evaluate of the KCAs to establish their impact.
15. Conduct a baseline survey of the KCAs across the country.
16. Coordinate and oversee inclusive and transparent elections for KCA officials
from the sub-county, county and national levels.
17. Conduct a perception barrier analysis survey to address the societal perception
on child participation and implement its recommendations.
18. Organize the old chamber of parliament for use and facilitate members of the
KCA to hold debates twice a year.
19. Review the Guidelines for Child Participation and have them translated to a
popular version as well as a child-friendly version.
20.Provide children in contact with the justice system (children in conflict with the
law and those in need of care and protection) with state funded legal aid to realize
41
National Plan of Action for Children in Kenya2015-2022
their participation in the administration of justice to the fullest.

21.Build the capacity of the national and county assembly leadership (need for synergy
between the roles of county and national level).
42
CHAPTER FIVE
COORDINATION
INTRODUCTION
To ensure harmonized and sustainable service delivery for children, the NPA will be
coordinated at various levels through the NCCS, and the County and Sub County Area
Advisory Councils (AACs). This will help to ensure joint government and stakeholder
planning, implementation and reporting.
5. 1 COORDINATION LEVELS
5.2.1 National level
NCCS will coordinate the implementation of the NPA. Established under Section 30
of the Children Act in 2001, NCCS is mandated to exercise general supervision and
control over the planning, financing and coordination of children rights and welfare.The
NCCS is made up of a board and a secretariat, and works with like-minded partners.
The Council
The Council is composed of the Chairperson and Council Members drawn from line
Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Non- state actors, Religious Organizations and
NCCS
Secretariat
6 technical staff, administrative staff
Thematic area 1: Thematic area 2: Thematic area 3: Thematic area 4:

Planning, Research, Resource mobilization, Policy development and Advocacy, Media, Participation
M&E Management, Organizational Legal issues and Partnership.
development.
Figure 5: National level coordination framework
43
Private Sector representatives. The secretary to the council is the Director of the
Children’s services.
The Council is headed by the chairperson who is appointed by the President and the
members are appointed by the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Social
Security and Services. The council provides leadership to the Secretariat
Secretariat
The secretariat operationalizes the Council’s mandate for the specific thematic areas.
The council has four Technical Working Groups (TWG), one foe each thematic area,
that meet on a quarterly basis to guide service delivery in the children sector. The
secretariat provides support to these TWGs:
• Planning, Research and M&E.
• Resource mobilization, management and organizational development.
• Policy development and legal issues.
• Advocacy, media, participation and partnerships.
Each thematic area has a TWG that meets quarterly and guides service delivery in that
department.
5.2.2 County and sub-county levels

The County AAC is chaired by the County commissioner and the secretariat is the
County Coordinator Children Services office.
All the four thematic areas will be replicated at the county and sub county levels and
each area will be chaired by the relevant line ministry staff. Members of the TWG
will be drawn from CSOs and other government agencies. The TWGs will meet on a
quarterly basis and will draw their roles the national guidelines.
To enhance coordination at all levels, institution of a coordination committee of
all agencies (inter agency committee); the thematic TWGs to incorporate relevant
stakeholder in their meetings and convene bi annual stakeholder forums to share
progress in implementation of the NPA.
NCCS will streamline service delivery through promoting a harmonized standards

and regulatory system that enhances; regulation of the child protection workforce
and providers, mainstreaming quality assurance and improvement, standardization of
child protection service delivery and supporting research and evidence base for child
protection.
44
AAC at County and

sub-County level
Secretariat
Children officer, administrative staff
Thematic area 1: Thematic area 2: Thematic area 3: Thematic area 4:

Planning, Research, Resource mobilization, Policy development and Advocacy, Media, Participation
M&E Management, Organizational Legal issues and Partnership.
development.
Figure 6: County and sub-county level coordination framework
5.3 RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

The NCCS resource mobilization strategy guides all resource mobilization initiatives
and links with child sector service providers to support resource mobilization for the
council. The TWG will form an inter-agency coordinating committee that will steer
fundraising for NCCS activities.
5. 4 CAPACITY BUILDING
To guarantee successful coordination and implementation of the NPA, the Council, the
Secretariat and its affiliates the DCS should ensure that human resources management
and development provide for these conditions:
• Capacity building for the child sector workforce through needs-based training is
undertaken regularly during the plan period at all levels.
• Results-based management is adopted at all thematic areas of the Secretariat and
the department’s section levels.
• The Secretariat will be expected to develop and implement work plans in line
with NPA.
• Enhanced Supervision for providers through the – development of a child sector
supportive supervision checklist and guidelines for cross learning.
45
CHAPTER SIX
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
INTRODUCTION
The Constitution of Kenya 2010 articles 10, 56, 174, 195, 201, 203, 225, 226 and
227 stipulate that monitoring and evaluation is an important part of operationalizing
government activities. This is to ensure transparency, integrity, information access and
accountability principles.
The government has in place a National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation System
(NIMES) which is the reporting system from National, County and sub-County levels.
These structures are in place to ensure conformity with best reporting standards. One
of the flagship projects under the Kenya Vision 2030 is the development of an integrated
data management system for children, which will collect sex disaggregated data that will
guide policy, planning, budgeting, programming and reporting. In this regard The National
Council for Children Services has developed and is rolling out a National Children
database that gives real time status on the situation of children in Kenya. The database
enables service providers to continuously report on activities they are undertaking
to improve the welfare of children. The service providers include the Department of
Children’s Services (Child Protection Management Information System), Kenya Police,
Ministry of Health, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) among others.
6.I MONITORING AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (M&EF) is a critical component of the NPA
2015-2022 which will provide quality performance information for decision making.
The framework shall standardize the data collection, analysis, storage and dissemination
process. The ultimate responsibility of implementing the M&E framework for the NPA
lies with NCCS supported by line ministries, departments and agencies. Entry point
for reporting will be through the AACs starting at the division level-ward-sub-county-
county-national levels.
The Technical Working Group on M&EF will support NCCS in operationalization of the
Framework.
The National Council for Children Services, County governments and development
46
partners shall put in place the necessary infrastructure and capacity enhancement for
monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the NPA.
Information sharing
Information sharing will be two way starting from sub-location, location, division,
ward, sub-county, county and national level. The children officers at different levels are
tasked with coordinating and collecting information from service providers using a
standardized reporting format. The data will feed into the national children database.
Dissemination
The information dissemination of the status of children will start from the sub-location
through the quarterly AAC meetings, to the location, division, ward and sub county.
There shall be an annual county bulletin and annual national bulletin on the status of
children.
Planning
NCCS shall ensure that county coordinators for children services actively participate
National Level - NCCS
County AAC
Sub-County AAC
Ward
Division
Local
Sub-local LAAC
Figure 7:The reporting system
47
in the development of the county integrated development plans to ensures evidence

based children issues are prioritized and incorporated in the plan.
Monitoring
The County Coordinator for Children shall work in collaboration with the county
monitoring and evaluation committee and the AAC to monitor the implementation of
the NPA at the county level.
The NCCS will conduct quarterly monitoring and support supervision to the counties
to ascertain implementation of the NPA.
Evaluation
Internal and external evaluation of the NPA will be done to coincide with the life span
of the second medium term plan of the vision 2030 and thereafter after every three
years. The findings of the evaluation shall inform the review and update of the NPA.
Research
In order to promote evidence-based interventions, NCCS shall put in place structures
for conducting thematic and operational research as and when required. NCCS will also
work the KNBS and National Council of Science and Technology (NCST) to establish
a data resource for all research that has been done on children to improve accessibility
and reduce duplication.
48
INDICATOR MATRIX
PILLAR ONE: CHILD SURVIVAL
Overall Objective Improved child survival rates
Specific objectives 1. To improve 4th ANC attendance.

2. To increase number of deliveries done by skilled birth attendants.
3. To reduce the proportion of women aged 15-49 with acute under nutrition.
4. Increase access to reproductive health services and information to adolescents (10-17).
5. To improve immunization coverage.
6. To improve access to micronutrient supplementation.
7. To improve garbage and sanitation management while enhancing environmental conservation.
8. To reduce HIV and AIDS infection amongst girls and women of child bearing age in high burden areas.
Outcome 1. Affordable, accessible, quality health care services to mothers and all children.
49
2. Accessible water and sanitation facilities.
3. Accessible reproductive health services and information for adolescents.
Outcome indicator/s 1. The proportion of mothers attending at least 4 ANC and post natal care
2. The proportion of mothers receiving skilled services during delivery
3. Proportion of pregnant women sleeping under long lasting anti insecticide treated nets (LLITNs).
4. Proportion of women 15-49 years whose nutrition status has improved (stable/okay)
5. Reduced levels of HIV infections among girls and women of child bearing age in high burden areas.
6. The proportion of children fully immunized
7. The proportion of children receiving micronutrient supplements between the ages 6 to 59 months.
8. Reduced proportion of under 5 that are stunted, wasted and underweight.
9. Increased number of children receiving Vitamin A supplementation.
10. Proportion of under 5 children sleeping under LLITNs.
11. Proportion of health facilities, schools and households with improved care, water sanitation, facilities,
hygiene and environment management.
12. Proportion of children accessing quality health services.
13. Proportion of children reporting diarrheal cases
14. Proportion of children accessing ORS on time.
Broad activities Actors: lead agency & Output Output indicator Time
others frame
th
1 Increase the 4 ANC attendance from MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased proportion of the Proportion of 4th ANC 2015-2018
47.1% to at least 80%by the year UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, 4th ANC attendance attendance
2030 FBOs, Stakeholders
2 Increase skilled delivery services from MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased proportion of service Proportion of service deliv- 2015-2018
44% to 80% by 2030 UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, delivery ery
FBOs, Stakeholders
3 Reduce the maternal mortality rate MOH, NCCS, WHO, Reduced maternal mortality Maternal mortality 2015-2018
(MMR) from 488 to 40 by 2030 UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs,
FBOs, Stakeholders
4 Improve nutrition of women of child MOH, NCCS, WHO, Improved nutritional status of Nutritional Status 2015-2018
bearing age (15-49) UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, women
FBOs, Stakeholders
5 Increase the proportion of pregnant MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased %. of pregnant %. of pregnant women 2015-2018
mothers sleeping under LLITNs. UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, women sleeping under LLITNs sleeping under LLITNs
50
FBOs, Stakeholders
6 Strengthen efforts to combat the spread MOH, NCCS, WHO, Reduced HIV and AIDS cases % of girls and women 2015-2018
of HIV and AIDS amongst girls and UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, amongst girls and women who have tested HIV
women in high burden areas FBOs, Stakeholders positive.
7 Increase number of adolescents MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased % of adolescents % of adolescents receiving 2015-2018
receiving reproductive health services UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, receiving reproductive health reproductive health
and information. FBOs, Stakeholders services an information
8 Reduce the infant mortality from 77 to MOH, NCCS, WHO, Reduced infant mortality rate Infant mortality rate 2015-2018
20 per 1,000 live births by 2030 UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs,
FBOs, Stakeholders
9 Reduce the under-five mortality rate MOH, NCCS, WHO, Reduced under 5 mortality Under 5 mortality rate 2015-2018
from 74 to 20 per 1,000 live births by UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, rate
2030 FBOs, Stakeholders
10 Develop and disseminate caregivers’ MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased awareness among % of caregivers aware of 2015-2018
information and communication UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, caregivers on child survival. children rights.
materials on child survival FBOs, Stakeholders
others frame
11 Introduce /scale- up school programmes MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased programmes on child No of programmes imple- 2015-2018
dealing with child survival. UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, survival mented
FBOs, Stakeholders
12 Ensure children with mental illnesses MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased number of children No of programmes 2015-2018
receive psychosocial care and support UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, with mental illnesses receiving implemented
FBOs, Stakeholders psychosocial care and support.
13 Promote awareness for children with MOH, NCCS, WHO, Awareness created on chil- Number of awareness 2015-2018
mental illnesses to receive psychosocial UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, dren with mental illnesses to forums on children with
care and support FBOs, Stakeholders receive psychosocial care and mental illnesses to receive
support. psychosocial care and
support.
14 Ensure children with disabilities, special MOH, NCCS, WHO, Increased health services to % of children with disabilities. 2015-2018
needs, chronic illnesses and conditions UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, children with disabilities, special Special needs, chronic illness
51
access health services equitably FBOs, Stakeholders needs, chronic illnesses and and conditions accessing
conditions. health services equitably.
15 Address health budget equity and MOH, NCCS, WHO, % of total budget that is 2015-2018
county allocations, capacity building, UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, allocated to health.
staff redistribution to align to the needs, FBOs, Stakeholders
staff motivation and incentives. Ratio of skilled health
personnel
% of population accessing
well equipped and staffed
health care facilities within
5km radius.

16 Improve availability of water sanitation MOH, NCCS, WHO, Improved access to water, % of schools and homes with 2015-2018
and hygiene UNICEF, NCPD, CBOs, sanitation and hygiene improved access to water,
FBOs, Stakeholders sanitation and hygiene.
PILLAR TWO: CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Overall Objective To ensure all children are able to achieve human growth and developmental milestones
Specific Objective 1. To ensure that all children, especially those in difficult circumstances and those from marginalized/
vulnerable groups have access to free and compulsory basic education and achieve a Net Enrollment
Rate (NER) of 100 percent by 2022
2. To ensure implementation of child-friendly school framework in ECDE, primary and secondary schools
3. To ensure all children access age and gender appropriate recreation, leisure and play
4. To ensure all children have quality parental and family care
5. To ensure children have access to accurate and appropriate information to inform their
Outcome 1. Children are enrolled in basic education ( ECDE, primary and secondary)
2. Schools implementing the child-friendly school framework
3. Children are participate in age and gender appropriate recreation, leisure and play
4. Children live within a safe, secure family set up with a responsible adult caregiver.
5. Children have access accurate and appropriate information
52
Outcome indicator 1. % of NER for ECDE, primary and secondary schools
2. % of schools implementing child-friendly schools framework
3. % of counties with child friendly spaces and activities for child recreation, leisure and play
4. No. of children living in a safe, secure family set up with a responsible adult care giver.
5. Proportion of children with access to accurate and appropriate information.
others frame
1 Increase enrollment in Early Childhood MOE, NCCS, County Increased ECDE enrollment • Number registered in 2015-2018
Development Education governments, development ECD centers per county
partners, CSO, FBO, private • % of children enrolled in
sector ECDE per county
• National ECDE curriculum
others frame
2 Increase enrollment in primary MOE, NCCS, County • Increased primary school • % of children enrolled 2015-2018
education governments, development enrollment in primary schools per
partners, CSO, FBO, private • No. of registered primary county
sector schools per county • % of children completing
secondary education per
county
• Teacher, pupil /ratio per
county
3 Increase enrolment in special schools MOE, MOH, NCCS, MLSSS, Special Education enrollment • % of children enrolled 2015-2018
for children with special needs County Governments increased in appropriate special
education system per
county
• No. of schools
implementing inclusive
education per county
53
• No. of established
assessment centers per
county
• No. of qualified special
education staff in centers
and schools per county
others frame
4 Support teachers that work with MOE, MOH, NCCS, MLSSS, • Teachers equipped with • No. of teacher equipped 2015-2018
children that have special needs County Governments peripatetic skills such as with peripatetic skills.
use of sign language. • Increase of incentives to
• Financially motivated teachers working with
teachers working with children having special
children having special needs
needs.
5 Increase secondary school enrollment MOE, NCCS, County Secondary school enrollment • No. of registered 2015-2018
governments, development increased secondary schools per
partners, CSO, FBO, private county
sector • % of children enrolled
children secondary
schools
• % of children completing
secondary schools
54
• Teacher/student ratio per
county
6 Strengthen non-formal education MOE, County governments, Non-formal education • No. of counties reached 2015-2018
NCCS, CSOs and religious strengthened in the dissemination of
organization the national policy for
alternative provision
of basic education and
training
• % of counties adhering
to national policy for
alternative provision
of basic education and
training
• Database on non-formal
education developed and
updated by counties
Broad Activities Actors: Lead Agency & Output Indicator Time
others Frame
7 Promote recreation, leisure, play and County governments Promoted recreation, leisure, • No. of counties with 2015-2018
cultural activities for children. DCS, CSOs, FBOs play and cultural activities for child-friendly and
children. equipped spaces for
recreation, leisure, play
and cultural activities.
• % of counties allocating
resources for children’s
recreation , leisure and
play
• % of schools with child
friendly spaces for
children in schools
8 Improve reporting for activities Reporting for activities • % of organizations 2015-2018
targeting recreation, leisure, play and targeting recreation, leisure, reporting to the AAC on
cultural activities for children play and cultural activities for recreation, leisure and play
children improved activities for children,
55
• Data base on children
recreation, leisure, play
and cultural activities in
the counties created and
updated
9 Integrate family centered approach to DCS, NCCS, line ministries, An integrated family centered % of family centered programs 2015-2018
child development programs development partners, approach to child develop-

CSOs, households, children ment programs
10 Promote positive parenting DCS, NCCS, line ministries, Parents skills programmes Proportion of parents/care- 2015-2018
development partners, established givers exposed parent skills
CSOs, households, children programmes
others frame
11 Increase children access to accurate and Ministry of interior, Children have access to • Percentage of programmes 2015-2018
appropriate information through print Ministry of Information and accurate and appropriate with age appropriate
and electronic media and other commu- Tourism, MOE, Ministry of information information.
nity initiatives culture and sports, Media • No. of centers where
Council, Communication, children can access
Council of Kenya. Film appropriate information,.
Censorship Board, NCCS, • No. of children in
KNLS, County government, centers with appropriate
Development partners, information.
CSOs
12 Integrate of cultural activities in the MOE, NCCS, MOSCA, Cultural activities integrated • % of schools participating 2015-2018
school curriculum CSOs, FBOs in the school curriculum in cultural activities.
• No. of positive cultural
values incorporated in the
curriculum
56
13 Implement life skills and mentorship DCS, NCCS, Line Promoted mentorship • Develop mentorship 2015-2018
programs ministries, development programs for children manuals
partners, CSOs, • Proportion of children in
households, children mentorship programs
• Proportion children in life
skill programs
• No. of children in
mentorship programmes

PILLAR THREE: CHILD PROTECTION
Overall Objective Responsive and quality child protection services in place in Kenya
Specific objective To strengthen the child protection in Kenya by establishing a comprehensive and functional child protection system
Outcome 1. Comprehensive child protection system established

2. Effective coordination of child protection system components
3. Effective child protection service delivery
Outcome indicator/s 1. Number of new or revised laws and policies to support improvement of the child protection system
2. Number of coordination meetings
3. % of violations against children reported and conclusively responded to
57
Broad activities Actors: lead agency Output Output indicator Time
& others frame
1 Scale-up child NCCS • Reduction in the number of • Number of caseloads reported.
protection DCS child protection cases by 50% • Proportion of villages with child 2015-2018
programmes (child trafficking, child labour, protection centers
violence against among others) • No. of child protection units.
• Increase child protection • % of police stations with a child
centers in all counties protection help desk
• Increase child protection units • Develop child protection helpdesk
in all counties guidelines for the police service
• Increase number of the gender • Number of rescue centers
recovery centers in all counties. • Number of gender-based recovery
• Increase children courts in all centers.
counties. • Number of children courts in 47
• Initiate new diversion programs counties
• Increase number of rescue • Parenting guidelines
centers • Number of community based child
58
• Increase in diversion • Protection mechanisms in counties.
programmes. • No of children receiving psychosocial
• Develop a parenting guideline. care and support.
• Establishment of community • No of awareness creation forums
based and sensitizations on the provision of
• Child protection mechanisms psychosocial care and support
• Provision of psychosocial
support to abused children

• Increased awareness on
psychosocial care and support
& others frame
2 Strengthen the legal NCCS • Review the children Act. • Reviewed Children Act. 2015-2018
and policy framework DCS • Finalize the Pending Bills • No. of pending Bills that are finalized
including improved • Operationalization of policy and • M&E plan in place.
coordination legal framework • No. of policies and legal frameworks
• operationalized at national and county
levels.
3 Improve the financial, NCCS, MOH, Ministry • Increased budget for child • Increased budget for child protection 2015-2018
technical and of interior and protection. • Increased number of children officers,
professional capacity coordination (police • Increased and equally social workers, counselors gazetted
for duty bearers department) distributed number of Children magistrates among other personnel
DCS. Officers, Social Workers working with and for children that are
and Counselors. gazetted equitably distributed.
Magistrates among other • No. of personnel working with and for
personnel working with and for children that have received specialized
59
children. training on child protection.
• Specialized training on child • Number of various national training
protection for personnel curriculums (eg. police and health) for
working with and for children personnel and professionals working with
• National training curriculum and for children.
for both new and in service
personnel such as police officers
and health professionals to

ensure child friendly services.
& others frame
4 Strengthening M&E NCCS, DCS, MOH, • Comprehensive information • M&E plan in place 2015-2018
KNBS management system linked to
Police, civil registration, other key data management
Prisons department systems.
MOE • Strengthened community-based
approach
• Strengthened M&E system
• Integrated data management
system – national children data-
base system.
5 Increase and DCS • Rehabilitation facilities strength- • No. of rehab facilities established 2015-2018
strengthen existing ened in every county
children rehabilitation
facilities (borstal
60
institutions, remand
homes, rescue
centers)
6 Facilitating (guidelines DCS • Alternative family care • Sensitization conducted for caregivers 2015-2018
for) alternative family guidelines disseminated and and community on alternative care
care monitored • No. of guidelines disseminated
& others frame
7 Creating awareness DCS • Public awareness sessions No. of public awareness sessions conducted 2015-2018
on various child pro- conducted (targeting, barazas
tection issues families, children) on issues that
may be specific to counties
such as child marriages, abuse
of drugs and substances, child
labour, child trafficking among
others.
8 Strengthen research NCCS • Researches on children with Research agenda in place 2015-2018
for child protection disabilities, child trafficking, Number of researches for each category.
child labour, drug and substance
abuse and others
9 Strengthen Emergency NCCS, Ministry • Provision of disaster • Number of Communities that have under 2015-2018
and Disaster of interior and preparedness measures with gone capacity building in disaster man-
Management including coordination particular attention of children, agement.
61
Disaster Risk pregnant and nursing mothers. • Number of guidelines disseminated
Reduction (DRR) • Promotion of community • Number of DRR responses meeting CP
capacity building on minimum standards
preparedness, response,
rehabilitation and
reconstruction, mitigation and
management of disasters.
• Ensuring existence of post

trauma counseling services to
children and families affected by
disasters
• Guidelines on disaster Pre-
paredness.
& others frame
10 Improved NCCS • Strengthened mechanisms and • Number of functional 2015-2018
coordination structures for CP at national • Proportion of counties reporting func-
and governance and County levels tional CP systems
structures.
11 Workforce (child NCCS • Training curriculum • No. of graduate 2015-2018
protection) capacity • Accreditation (licensing) • Guidelines for vetting persons working
development – mechanism for persons working
with children child protection
Training curriculum in use

62
PILLAR FOUR: CHILD PARTICIPATION
Overall Objective 1. To promote the right to participate by all children in Kenya in all matters affecting them and society
Specific objective 2. To promote the right to participation by all children in Kenya in all matters affecting them and society.
Outcome 1. Enhanced participation by children in decision making at all levels.

2. Improved quality, appropriate and efficient services delivered to all children
Outcome indicator/s 1. % Increase in number of children participating in decision making at all levels
2. % Increase in number of institutions offering quality, appropriate and efficient services to all children
others frame
1 Strengthen (capacity building / DCS, County government, • CR Clubs • No of CR clubs established / 2015-2018
equipping) county and local mechanisms CSOs, and development established and strengthened
(structures in place) for child partners Strengthened in
63
participation. Schools
2 Strengthen (capacity building / equip- NCCS, DCS, County National, County • No. of functional KCAs 2015-2018
ping) children assemblies at national, government, CSOs, and and Sub county • 47 KCA strengthened
county and sub-county level development partners KCA established /
strengthened
3 Establish and engaging platform for NCCS, DCS, County Platforms for children • No of platforms established 2015-2018
children to participate in the National, government, CSOs, and to participate at the and engaged for children to
Regional and International days (on all development partners national, regional and participate at the National,
matters that affect children e.g. WAD, international level Regional and International level.
WTD, ACDP established. • No. of fora where children have
participated at the national,
regional and international levels
4 Lobby / Create / establish platforms for NCCS, DCS, County Platforms established • No of platforms provided 2015-2018
children to actively and meaningfully government, CSOs, and for children to meaningfully
participate in budget making process at development partners participate on Budget making
various levels e.g. county, and National processes
levels.
others frame
5 Support children to participate in the DCS, County government, • Fora organized • No of fora organized for policy 2015-2018
process of policy formulation / imple- CSOs, and development • Memoranda formulation / implementation
mentation and reviews partners presented and • No of memoranda presented
adopted and adopted
6 Advocate for Improved child friend- Ministry of interior and Improved child friendly No of institutions that are child 2015-2018
liness of various institutions handling coordination, The Judiciary institutions.1 friendly
children cases NCCS, DCS, County
government, CSOs, and
development partners
7 Advocate for delivery of quality Child NCCS, DCS, county Quality child friendly Customer satisfaction report 2015-2018
friendly services e.g. Police station government, CSOs, and services2 offered.
(CPUs), Courts. development partners
8 Create a clear framework for NCCS, DCS, County Coordination Existence of the coordination 2015-2018
coordination of activities/initiatives from government, CSOs, and framework established framework at all levels.
64
the National, County, Sub County, AAC development partners
and LAAC (this is derived from the
bigger NCCS coordination matrix.
9 Identify, document, disseminate and NCCS, DCS, County Best Practices identified, No of best practices identified, 2015-2018
replicate best practices in child government, CSOs, and documented, dissemi- documented, disseminated and
participation. development partners nated and replicated replicated
10 Sensitize / Capacity building of National NCCS, DCS, County Leadership of national No of sensitizations/capacity build- 2015-2018
and County Assembly leadership (need government, CSOs, and and County assembly ing fora conducted
for synergy between the roles of development partners sensitized
County and National level)
1
Where child friendly institutions means; in terms of the environment the structures of the institutions(Children’s court, Waiting room for the courts, child protection units
and desks in police stations etc) should be painted with bright colors, with cartoon drawings, the room setting should be child friendly i.e round table siting arrangement.
Provision of play area and other facilities that engage children in play and leisure. The facility provides privacy to facilitate children to give confidential information.
2
Where in this case child friendly service should incorporate: The tone of the person should not be intimidating, authoritative and loud but should be calm and welcoming.
The posture of the service provider should be open, attentive and responsive. The service should be timely and efficient.
others frame
11 Review and develop the guidelines for NCCS, DCS, County Child participation • Popular version and child 2015-2018
child participation. Develop, translate government, CSOs, and guideline reviewed friendly version developed
and disseminate a child friendly popular development partners • Existence of reviewed guidelines
version. for child participation
• Number of popular version and
child friendly version developed
12 Create Platforms for children to NCCS, DCS, County Child protection • Number of platforms created 2015-2018
participate in regional treaty reporting government, CSOs, and platforms at the for children to participate on
(UNCRC , ACRWC , UPR, Optional development partners regional treaties the reporting to the regional
Protocols, and State Party Reporting) reporting created treaties
among others.
13 Documentation of various child DCS, Kemya Alliance for Various child • Number of child participation 2015-2018
participation models in Kenya the Advancement of Child participation models in models documented
Rights, GOAL, World Vision, Kenya documented.
Save the Children, UNICEF,
65
URC, and others
14 Evaluation of the Kenya Children As- DCS with support from The impact of the KCA Evaluation report 2015-2018
semblies to establish it impact. the development partners, established
CSOs.
15 Establish baseline of the KCA across DCS with support from DCS with support Baseline for KCA established across 2015-2018
Kenya the development partners, from the development Kenya Baseline survey report
CSOs partners, CSOs
16 Coordinate and oversee inclusive and DCS with support from Inclusive and transpar- Election report 2015-2018
transparent elections for KCA officials the development partners, ent elections for KCA
from the Sub-County, County and CSOs. officials carried out
National level
others frame
17 Conduct a perception barrier analysis DCS with support from A perception barrier • Survey Report 2015-2018
survey to address the societal the development partners, analysis survey • Implementation status report
perception on child participation and CSOs. conducted
implement its findings Findings of the percep-
tion barrier analysis
survey implemented
18 Organize the old chamber of parlia- DCS with support from • Functional3 old • Functional old chamber of 2015-2018
ment for use and facilitate members of the development partners, chamber of parliament in existence
the Kenya Children’s Assembly to hold CSOs. parliament • No. of debates conducted
debates twice a year • KCA delegates
facilitated4 to
conduct debates
19 Provide children in contact with the DCS with support from • Legal aid for • No. of children’s court cases 2015-2018
justice system (children in conflict with the development partners, children in contact supported6 by the state
66
the law and those in need of care and CSOs. with justice system • No. of children engaged in the
protection) with state funded legal aid provided by the administration of justice
to realize their participation in the ad- state
ministration of justice to the fullest. • Meaningful
participation5 by
children in the
administration of
justice realized

3
Where functional of old chamber refers to: its accessibility to KCA delegates for debates/assembly and appropriately furnished and maintained.
4
KCA delegates facilitated in this case means the delegates are mobilized and coordinated to attend debates at the old chambers.
5
Where in this case meaningful participation means children taking lead in the process of administration of justice.
6
Where supported in this case means children are provided with legal aid by the state.
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National Plan of Action For Children in Kenya 2015 2022

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REPUBLIC OF KENYA

National Plan of Action

National Plan of Action

CHAPTER ONE: RIGHT TO SURVIVAL........................................................... 4

CHAPTER TWO: CHILD DEVELOPMENT.................................................... 16

CHAPTER THREE: CHILD PROTECTION.................................................... 22

CHAPTER FOUR: CHILD PARTICIPATION.................................................. 38

CHAPTER FIVE: COORDINATION................................................................ 43

CHAPTER SIX: MONITORING AND EVALUATION................................... 46

Ahmed Hussein, MBS, HSC

AAC Area Advisory Council

Council: National Council for Children’s Services.

Child labour: Any economic exploitation or work that is likely to be hazardous or to

Child protection: Is the process of protecting individual children identified as either

Child friendly institutions: the environment and structures of institutions (children’s

The development of this NPA was spearheaded by NCCS through an inclusive,

The NPA provides an operational framework to guide stakeholders and partners in

Further, it complements and integrates ongoing government sector-specific plans,

1.0 RIGHT TO SURVIVAL

• Enhanced immunization coverage.

1.1 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

1.2.1 Infant and child mortality

1.2.2 Causes of child and maternal mortality in Kenya

Causes of under-five deaths in Kenya

Figure 1: Causes of under-five deaths in Kenya Source:WHO/CHERG, 2012

iv) Immunization coverage

In 2012, measles caused 67 child deaths. The accumulation of un-immunized children

Neonatal tetanus is estimated to cause approximately 2 percent of neonatal deaths

Turkana at 10 percent and Marsabit at 12 percent (KDHS, 2014).

vi) Child nutrition

vii) HIV and AIDS in Children

1.2.3 Children with disabilities, special needs, chronic illnesses and

Mental Health and Psychosocial Care and Support

1.2.4 Adolescent health

1.2.5 Health sector service delivery

a)Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Some of the challenges affecting WASH in Kenya include; inadequate budgetary

b) Human Resource for Health

1.3 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

• An Essential Package for Health.

1.4 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHTS TO SURVIVAL

Child development can be understood from various dimensions physical, social,

Holistic development ensures children’s social and emotional development progresses

2.1 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

a) Early child development education

b) Special needs education

Shortage of places in secondary school to absorb primary school graduates, gender

e) Non-formal education (NFE)

2.1.2 Recreation, leisure, play and cultural activities

2.1.3 Access to appropriate information

2.1.4 Parental and family care

2. 2 LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORK

2.3 PLANNED ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT

and electronic media and other community initiatives.

3.1 SITUATION ANALYSIS

Kenya is making significant progress in putting in place a responsive child protection

3.1.1 Violence against children

Violence against children

0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00%