Rights, Peace and Pastoralist Livelihoods

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Achieving peace is an immediate priority to pastoralists in Kenya.

We have learnt that peace initiatives that are led by pastoralists themselves, who have a deep understanding of the root causes and underlying issues, have a greater chance of success and are more cost effective. 

This project aims to contribute towards achieving sustainable peace, strong customary advocacy/ leadership and securer livelihoods for pastoralists in the border areas of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. It will tackle the root causes of conflict; work in co-operation with state institutions; change attitudes over the use of violence; encourage community solidarity and participation; and strengthen the livelihood capacity of pastoralist families affected by conflict.

The result will be a reduction in violence and improved security enabling families to move freely with their animals and for their children to attend school. Herders will be able to trade freely across borders giving them greater economic freedom.

Strengthened leadership and effective partnership with government will enable pastoralists to properly manage their environments and demand their rights to land, health care and appropriate education.

We expect two main project outcomes:

Project Outcomes

Links to DFID outcomes & output indictors & Millennium Development Goals

  • A reduction in violence and greater security, solidarity, co-operation and understanding between different clans and with the Kenyan government in the pastoralist ASAL areas of Kenya leading to their improved access to grazing lands, permanent and seasonal water sources, livestock markets and essential health & education services.
  • Sustained access to water for humans and livestock (Outcome 6/ Ouput 8).
  • Access good quality grazing for milk and meat production and marketing (Outcome 3/Output 13).
  • Effective communication and dialogue with government.
  • Political participation, especially of women and children.
  • Improved advocacy for human rights.
  • Protection of women and children from violence.
  • Provide safe environments for rural pastoralist families who are ‘hard to reach’ to send their children to school (Outcome 1). 

MDG 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
MDG 7. Ensure environmental sustainability

MDG 3. Gender participation
MDG 2. Achieve primary education for all.

  • Strengthened sustainable pastoralist livelihood opportunities for the poorest pastoralist families, particularly female-headed families with young children that have been badly affected by drought and conflict.
  • Improved food security by restocking female headed and conflict affected households (Outcome 3/Output 13)
  • Range management and dry ecology education
  • Active promotion of ‘mobile pastoralism’ a productive livelihood providing many ecological benefits.

MDG 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
MDG 7. Ensure environmental sustainability

 

The project will achieve these outcomes by:

  • Promoting the use of customary law and inter-communal dialogue in co-operation with local, regional and national administrations. This involves comprehensive discussions in a strategic series of meetings with and between customary elders, religious leaders, women, youth, officials and private sector, civic and civil society leaders.
  • Raising awareness of behaviour in conflict situations particularly amongst children and young people through cross-clan peace clubs in schools in conflict hot spots, local radio programmes and community participatory theatre. 
  • Boosting competence of vulnerable pastoralist families through supporting their links to customary welfare support such as restocking and skills-based education on topics such as animal health care and local drylands ecology.