An Evaluation of the Right to Education of Refugee Children in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2024/v27i0a17745Keywords:
Armed conflict, asylum, children, Dadaab, Kakuma, refugee, right to educationAbstract
There is a growing standard for the protection of migrants on the global and regional scene. As refugees, children from areas of armed conflict form a vulnerable group that requires close attention. With an emphasis on the right to education, this contribution interrogates the sufficiency of Kenya's legal regime in offering practical safeguards to refugee children as victims of human rights abuses in the host state. First, this study evaluates the position of international and regional law on the protection of refugee children. Secondly, it evaluates Kenya's legislative and policy regime as well as its practices with regard to the education of refugee children. Proposals for reform are made in concluding the paper.
Downloads
References
Bibliography
Literature
Anderson A et al "The Right to Education for Children in Emergencies" 2011 Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 84-126
Bellino JM and Dryden-Peterson S "Inclusion and Exclusion within a Policy of National Integration: Refugee Education in Kenya's Kakuma Refugee Camp" 2018 British Journal of Sociology of Education 222-238
Bendavid E et al "The Effects of Armed Conflict on the Health of Women and Children" 2021 The Lancet 522-532
Burde D et al "Education in Emergencies: A Review of Theory and Research" 2017 Review of Educational Research 619-658
Cannon BJ and Fujibayashi H "Security, Structural Factors and Sovereignty: Analysing Reactions to Kenya's Decision to Close the Dadaab Refugee Camp Complex" 2018 African Security Review 20-41
Chürr C "Realisation of a Child's Right to a Basic Education in the South African School System: Some Lessons from Germany" 2015 PELJ 2405-2417
Deyemere B "Editorial. Emerging Voices: Increasing the Diversity of Voices Featured in the International Review of the Red Cross" Dec 2021 IRRC 511-513
Epps V "Civilian Casualties in Modern Warfare: The Death of the Collateral Damage Rule" 2012 Ga J Int'l & Comp L 307-326
Golding G and Giancaspro M "Why Can't it Be Paid in Pizza?–Comparing S 323 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and Consideration at Common Law" 2023 UWAL Rev 1-25
Hathaway OA et al "Which Law Governs during Armed Conflict? The Relationship between International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law" 2012 Minn L Rev 1883-1897
Ivanova T et al "Implementation of the Principle of General Accessibility of Education and Adaptability of the Education System in the Russian Federation through the Use of E-Learning and Distance Educational Technologies" 2020 CEUR Workshop Proceedings 231-237
Kamga SAD "Realising the Right to Primary Education in Cameroon" 2011 AHRLJ 171-193
Kinchin N "The Implied Human Rights Obligations of UNHCR" 2016 IJRL 251-275
Kwamboka M Economic and Socio-Cultural Impact of Refugees on the Kenyan Communities. A Case Study at Kakuma Camp (GRIN Verlag Munich 2018)
Lebson M "Why Refugees Rebel: Towards a Comprehensive Theory of Refugee Militarization" 2013 International Migration 133-148
Liddell BJ et al "Understanding the Effects of being Separated from Family on Refugees in Australia: A Qualitative Study" 2022 Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 647-653
Mendenhall MD et al "Quality Education for Refugees in Kenya: Pedagogy in Urban Nairobi and Kakuma Refugee Camp Settings" 2015 Journal on Education in Emergencies 92-130
Mkwananzi WF Exploring the Lives and Educational Aspirations of Marginalised Migrant Youth: A Case Study in Johannesburg, South Africa (PhD-dissertation University of the Free State 2017)
Moeckli D Human Rights and Non-Discrimination in the "War on Terror" (Oxford University Press Oxford 2008)
Nanima RD "An Evaluation of Kenya's Parallel Legal Regime on Refugees, and the Courts' Guarantee of their Rights" 2017 LDD 42-67
Nanima RD "The Right to Education of the Refugee Girl Affected by Armed Conflict in Kenya: Insights from the Jurisprudence of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child" 2021 LDD 119-145
Nanima RD "The Enjoyment of the Right to Health beyond Areas of Armed Conflict: An Evaluation of Kenya's Practice and Jurisprudence on Refugee Children" in Amutabi MN (ed) Africa's New Deal (Centre for Democracy, Research and Development Nairobi 2019) 257-268
Nanima RD "Contextualising the Socio-Economic Rights of the Refugee Child: An Evaluation of the Position of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child" in Durojaye E et al (eds) Realising Socio-Economic Rights of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Africa: Our Lives Matter (Springer Cham 2023) 139-164
Nanima RD "Remarks by the Special Rapporteur for Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Africa" Unpublished contribution delivered at the Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict - Our Common Future (5 June 2023 Oslo)
Qatamur BE The Nexus between National Security Concerns and Protection of Refugee Rights: A Case Study of Kenya (PhD-dissertation University of Nairobi 2021)
Rebecca W International Human Rights: Texts and Materials (Sweet and Maxwell London 1997)
Sinclair M "Learning for a Future: Refugee Education in Developing Countries" 2001 Education in Emergencies 52-56
Skelton A and Kamga SAD "Broken Promises: Constitutional Litigation for Free Primary Education in Swaziland" 2017 Journal of African Law 419-442
Tostensen A et al Supporting Child Rights. Synthesis of Lessons Learned in Four Countries (Sida Stockholm 2011)
Veriava F and Paterson K "The Right to Education" in Dugard J et al (ed) Research Handbook on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as Human Rights (Edward Elgar Cheltenham 2020) 113-136
Willems K and Jonas V "The Fundamental Human Right to Education for Refugees: Some Legal Remarks" 2018 European Educational Research Journal 219-232
Wright LA The Case of Refugee Education in Kenya: An Analysis of Kakuma and Dadaab (LLM-thesis University of Oxford 2010)
Case law
Adam Legoale v MEC for Education, North West (North West High Court, Mafikeng) (unreported) case number 499 of 11 (10 August 2011)
Centre for Child Law v Minister for Basic Education 2012 4 All SA 35 (ECG)
Coalition for Reform and Democracy v Republic of Kenya [2015] eKLR 2
Commonwealth v Briggs 33 Mass (1864) 205
Kituo Cha Sheria v Attorney General [2013] eKLR 2
Refugee Consortium of Kenya and NT v the Attorney General, Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Interior and National Coordination, Commissioner Refugee Affairs and Cradle-Children Foundation (as an Interested Party) High Court Petition 382 of 2014
Samow Mumin Mohamed v Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior Security and Co-Ordination [2014] eKLR 2
Legislation
Refugees Act 13 of 2006
Constitution of the Republic of Kenya, 2010
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
International instruments
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1981)
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990)
Constitutive Act of the African Union (2000)
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)
Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951)
Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration UN Doc A/RES/73/195 (2018)
ILO Convention 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999)
ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No 169)
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965)
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (2016)
OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa (1969)
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (2000)
Preliminary Report of the Special Rapoprteur on the Right to Education, Ms Katarina Tomasevski UN Doc E/CN.4/1999/49 (1999)
Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (1967)
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998)
UN Security Council Resolution 1261 UN Doc S/RES/1261 (1999)
UN Security Council Resolution 1314 UN Doc S/RES/1314 (2000)
UN Security Council Resolution 1379 UN Doc S/RES/1379 (2001)
UN Security Council Resolution 1460 UN Doc S/RES/1460 (2003)
UN Security Council Resolution 1539 UN Doc S/RES/1539 (2004)
UN Security Council Resolution 1612 UN Doc S/RES/1612 (2005)
UN Security Council Resolution 1882 UN Doc S/RES/1882 (2009)
UN Security Council Resolution 1998 UN Doc S/RES/1998 (2011)
UN Security Council Resolution 2068 UN Doc S/RES 2068 (2012)
UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education (1960)
Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948)
Internet sources
African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child date unknown Concluding Recommendations by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on the Initial Report of the Republic of Sierra Leone on the Status of Implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child https://reporting.acerwc.africa/sites/default/files/2022-06/Sierra%20Leone_Concludig%20Observation%20final_English.pdf accessed 29 March 2024
African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2016 Continental Study on the Impact and Crises on Children in Africab https://www.acerwc.africa/sites/default/files/202209/Study_on_the_impact_of_armed_conflict_and_crises_on_children_in_Africa_ACERWC_FINAL_ENGLISH_0.pdf accessed 5 February 2023
African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2020 General Comment on Article 22 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child: Children in Situations of Conflict https://www.acerwc.africa/sites/default/files/2022-09/General-Comment-on-Article-22-of-the-ACRWC_English_Web_version_final-1.pdf accessed 21 March 2024
African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child 2021 Report of the ACERWC on the Follow-Up Mission Conducted to Monitor the Implementation of Its Concluding Observations and Recommendations to the Kingdom of Lesotho https://www.acerwc.africa/sites/default/files/2022-11/Mission_Report_ACERWC_Follow-Up_Lesotho.pdf accessed 6 April 2024
Amnesty International date unknown Armed Conflict https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/armed-conflict/ accessed 25 February 2023
ANSA 2019 3.5 Million Syrian Refugees in Turkey Struggle with Access to Education https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/15842/3-5-million-syrian-refugees-in-turkey-struggle-with-access-to-education accessed 22 February 2023
AsiaNews 2019 Caritas Lebanon: Like the Palestinians, Syrian Refugees Forgotten by the International Community http://asianews.it/news-en/Caritas-Lebanon:-like-the-Palestinians,-Syrian-refugees-forgotten-by-the-international-community-46561.html accessed 2 March 2023
African Union Commission 2014 African Union Disarmament, Demobilisation Reintegration Capacity Program: DDR and Children Operational Guidelines http://www.peaceau.org/uploads/au-operational-guidance-note-on-children-in-ddr.pdf accessed 29 October 2022
Aucoin C 2017 Less Armed Conflict but More Political Violence in Africa https://issafrica.org/iss-today/less-armed-conflict-but-more-political-violence-in-africa accessed 25 February 2023
Black's Law Dictionary date unknown Evidence https://thelawdictionary.org/evidence/ accessed 29 March 2024
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1990 General Comment No 3: The Nature of States Parties' Obligations (Art 2, Para 1, of the Covenant) https://www.refworld.org/legal/general/cescr/1990/en/5613 accessed 21 March 2024
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1999 General Comment No 13: The Right to Education (Art 13) https://www.refworld.org/legal/general/cescr/1999/en/37937 accessed 21 March 2024
Committee on the Rights of the Child 2001 General Comment 1 (2001) Article 29(1): The Aims of Education https://www.refworld.org/legal/general/crc/2001/en/39221 accessed 21 March 2024
Committee on the Rights of the Child 2013 General Comment 14 (2013) (on the Right of the Child to have his or her Best Interests Taken as a Primary Consideration) (Art 3, Para 1) https://www.refworld.org/docid/
a84b5e4.html accessed 6 December 2022
Dalhousie University Libraries date unknown Locating Travaux Preparatoire https://dal.ca.libguides.com/c.php?g=257217&p=3894998 accessed 8 January 2023
Fukuda-Parr S, Lawson-Remer T and Randolph S 2008 Measuring the Progressive Realization of Human Rights Obligations: An Index of Economic and Social Rights Fulfilment https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1361&context=econ_wpapers accessed 18 March 2024
Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack date unknown The Safe Schools Declaration https://ssd.protectingeducation.org/ accessed 8 July 2023
Human Rights Watch 2016 The Education Deficit: Failures to Protect and Fulfill the Right to Education through Global Development Agendas https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/06/09/education-deficit/failures-protect-and-fulfill-right-education-through-global accessed 25 February 2023
International Committee of the Red Cross date unknown Fundamental Principles of IHL https://casebook.icrc.org/glossary/fundamental-principles-ihl accessed 26 February 2023
Kellenberger J 2003 Address at the 27th Annual Round Table on Current Problems of International Humanitarian Law http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteengO.nsf/html/5rfgaz accessed 26 February 2023
Kenya Law date unknown Introduction to the Kenya Law Treaties and Agreements Database http://kenyalaw.org/treaties/ accessed 7 March 2023
Republic of Kenya, Ministry of Education 2017 Education for Sustainable Development Policy for the Education Sector https://www.education.go.ke/sites/default/files/2022-05/Education-for-Sustainable-Development-Policy-for-the-Education-Sector.pdf accessed 16 January 2024
Kirollos M et al 2018 The War on Children https://www.savethechildren.it/sites/default/files/files/uploads/pubblicazioni/war-children.pdf accessed 25 February 2023
Kourdour D and Andersson L 2017 Assessing the Contribution of Refugees to the Development of their Host Countries http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=DEV/DOC(2017)1&docLanguage=En accessed 25 February 2023
Machel G 1996 Graça Machel Report: The Impact of Armed Conflict on Children https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/1996/08/1996-graca-machel-report-impact-armed-conflict-children/ accessed 25 March 2024
Mack M and Pejic J 2008 Increasing Respect for International Humanitarian Law in Non-International Armed Conflicts https://www.icrc.org/sites/default/files/topic/file_plus_list/0923-increasing_respect_for_international_humanitarian_law_in_non-international_armed_conflicts.pdf accessed 25 February 2023
Merriam-Webster Dictionary date unknown Sufficient https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sufficient accessed 19 March 2023
Miller 2018 https://www.cigionline.org/sites/default/files/documents/WRC%20Research%20Paper%20no.4.pdfhttps://www.cigionline.org/sites/default/files/documents/WRC%20Research%20Paper%20no.4.pdf accessed 25 February 2023
Ndege Y 2018 Study Finds Refugee Businesses Play Vital Role in Local Economyhttps://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2018/5/5aeb1c264/study-finds-refugee-businesses-play-vital-role-local-economy.html accessed 25 February 2023
Republic of Kenya 2015 Education Sector Report 2016/17-2018/19 MTEF Budget Report https://www.treasury.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/
Education-Sector-Report-2.pdf accessed 15 February 2023
Republic of South Africa 2018 South Africa's Second Country Report to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child https://reporting.acerwc.africa/sites/default/files/2022-09/South%20Africa%201st%20Periodic%20Report%20Eng.pdf accessed 30 March 2024
Right to Education date unknown Understanding Education as a Right https://www.right-to-education.org/page/understanding-education-right accessed 25 February 2023
Save the Children date unknown Hear it from the Teachers: Getting Refugee Children Back to Learning https://www.savethechildren.org/content/dam/usa/reports/ed-cp/hear-it-from-the-teachers-refugee-education-report.pdf accessed 25 February 2023
Singh N et al 2021 The Forgotten Population? A Call to Invest in Adolescent Well-Being in Humanitarian and Fragile Settings https://pmnch.who.int/resources/publications/m/ite accessed 8 July 2023
United Nations 2018 Amid Increased Civilian Deaths, Planned Separatist Elections in Eastern Ukraine, Renewed Talks Key to End Fighting, Top Political Official Tells Security Council https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13560.doc.htm accessed 25 February 2023
United Nations and World Bank 2017 Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict https://openknowledge.
worldbank.org/handle/10986/28337 accessed 26 February 2023
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees date unknown Where We Work: Africa https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr/where-we-work/africa accessed 10 July 2023
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1993 Policy on Refugee Children EC/SCP/82 https://www.unhcr.org/en-lk/excom/scip/3ae68ccc4/unhcr-policy-refugee-children.html accessed 25 February 2023
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 1994 Guidelines on Protection and Care of Refugee Children https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/3ae6b3470.pdf accessed 25 February 2023
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2017 Education Strategy: Kakuma Refugee Camp https://data2.unhcr.org/en/documents/download/65138 accessed 10 July 2023
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2017 Figures at a Glance https://www.unhcr.org/uk/figures-at-a-glance.html accessed 13 February 2023
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2019 Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees https://www.unhcr.org/fr-fr/en/media/handbook-procedures-and-criteria-determining-refugee-status-under-1951-convention-and-1967 accessed 29 March 2024
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2023 Unlocking Potential: The Right to Education and Opportunity https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/2023-UNHCR-EDU_Report-screen%5B78%5D.pdf accessed 29 March 2024
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund date unknown Children under Attack https://www.unicef.org/children-under-attack accessed 25 February 2023
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund date unknown Home https://www.unicef.org/ accessed 31 December 2022
UNICEF 2007 The Paris Principles: Principles and Guidelines on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups https://www.unicef.org/mali/media/1561/file/ParisPrinciples.pdf accessed 29 October 2023
United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation 2007 A Human Rights-Based Approach to Education for All https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/A_Human_Rights_Based_Approach_to_Education_for_All.pdf accessed 25 February 2023
United Nations Sustainable Development Group date unknown Human Rights-Based Approach https://bit.ly/3PYreb9 accessed 21 March 2024
Wanzala O and Musitya J 2018 Kenya's Education System is among the Most Inclusive of Refugees, Study Shows https://nation.africa/kenya/newsplex/kenya-s-education-system-is-among-the-most-inclusive-of-refugees-study-shows-111172 accessed 17 January 2024
Washinyira 2019 https://www.groundup.org.za/article/refugee-children-turned-away-cape-schools/
Washinyira T 2019 Refugee Children Turned Away by Cape Schools https://www.groundup.org.za/article/refugee-children-turned-away-cape-schools/ accessed 22 January 2023
Wilson, Majewski and Tebbe 2015 https://www.savethechildren.net/sites/
default/files/libraries/DOCS-%23299840-v1-Walk_the_Talk__Review_of_donors__humanitarian_policies_on_education_-_NRC_and_Save_the_Children_Report.pd
Wilson E, Majewski B and Tebbe K 2015 Walk the Talk: A Review of Donors' Humanitarian Policies on Education https://www.savethechildren.net/sites/
default/files/libraries/DOCS-%23299840-v1-Walk_the_Talk__Review_of_donors__humanitarian_policies_on_education_-_NRC_and_Save_the_Children_Report.pdf accessed 25 March 2023
World Bank 2018 https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/
/09/27/in-kenya-refugees-are-opening-up-frontiers-the-pull-of-investing-in-underserved-areas
World Bank 2018 In Kenya, Refugees are Opening up Frontiers: The Pull of Investing in Underserved Areas https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/
feature/2018/09/27/in-kenya-refugees-are-opening-up-frontiers-the-pull-of-investing-in-underserved-areas accessed 25 February 2023
ZOE Talent Solutions 2023 https://zoetalentsolutions.com/educational-statistics-for-kenya/
ZOE Talent Solutions 2023 Educational Statistics for Kenya [100% Updated and Elaborated] https://zoetalentsolutions.com/educational-statistics-for-kenya/ accessed 17 January 2024
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Robert Doya Nanima
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.