Fighting Bad Guys Since 1961

Change is inevitable, the young Karimi Nduthu said a few months before he was killed in 1996. The courage of the Release Political Prisoners lobby group was at the centre of the first of three transformations that would lead to Amnesty International Kenya becoming one of Kenya’s largest, most influential, and visible movements of human rights defenders.

Who is Amnesty Kenya?

Amnesty International Kenya is a section of Amnesty International’s global movement of over 10 million members and supporters committed to creating a future where human rights are enjoyed. United by our shared humanity, we know that the power to create positive change is within all of us.

We are funded by members and people like you. We are independent of any political ideology, economic interest or religion. We stand with victims of human rights violations, whoever they are, wherever they are.

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Our vision and mission for Kenya

We believe in an inclusive society where all live in dignity, freedom, diversity and prosperity and everyone enjoys the full range of constitutional freedoms, rights, and responsibilities.

We exist to boldly confront and skilfully transform all forms of injustice and human rights violations with members, supporters and allies through campaigning, research, human rights education, and public interest litigation.

Our values and promise to those that engage with us

Integrity

We are transparent, leaderful and accountable to our communities and partners at all levels.

Inclusive

We are anti-discriminatory and embrace the dignity of all persons and feminist leadership in all digital and physical spaces

Courageous Solidarity

We will work with others to build a movement that stands for the Constitution, social justice, and the rights of all.

Innovative creativity

We consistently seek fresh approaches to human rights protection within Amnesty International’s global values, digital citizenship, and an appreciation for continuous learning.

Our strategy

Extraordinary power in the hands of ordinary people

Since Amnesty International Kenya was registered in 2012, the organisation has had at least seven strategic plans. The 2020-2023 Strategic Plan was probably the most ambitious. It paved the way to recognition as a National Section governed by members and a national statutory board. Amnesty International became highly visible within Kenya, regionally and internationally.

Our current strategic Framework covers our work from 2024 to 2028. It designates key human rights priorities, common lenses that we apply across all work and core capabilities that we rely on to remain effective.

Our Human Rights Priorities

Equality
Enforced Disappearances
Extrajudicial Killings
Death Penalty
Freedom of Expression
Technology and Human Rights

Read our 2024-2028 Strategic Framework

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Kiswahili

Read our 2021-2023 Strategic Framework

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Kiswahili

Six outcomes challenges we seek to transform by 2028

OC 1: Citizens movements actively resourced to demand democratic governance, freedoms, and justice.

Strategic Partners:¹ Circles of conscience, social justice centres, activists, members, supporters

Boundary Partners:² County governments, Activists, National Government, AIK members, Supporters, Social Justice Centres.

OC 2: Constitutional values, human rights standards and sustainable development principles drive the implementation of laws, policies and budgets across the Executive and Legislative arms of government. doms, and justice.

Strategic Partners: Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights, Occupation based associations. Kenya Democracy and Human Rights Parliamentary Caucus, Mzalendo Trust

Boundary Partners: Office of Presidency, County Government, line ministries and Parliament

OC 3: All persons’ and groups experience safety and equal access to, fair and swift justice in line with the constitution and the rule of the law.

Strategic Partners: Police Reforms Working Group, Missing Voices Alliance, Independent Policing Oversight Authority, Witness Protection Agency, Law Society of Kenya, National Council on the Administration of Justice and Judiciary National Council on the Administration of Justice, Law Society of Kenya, Identity-based activist associations, Judges and Magistrates

Boundary Partners: Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, National Police Service, Interior Ministry,

OC 4: Rights-based governance protected against corruption and impunity by national and International financial institutions.

Strategic Partners: National Council on the Administration of Justice, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Auditor General, Law Society of Kenya, Amnesty international secretariat and national entities.

Boundary Partners: World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations, Diplomatic Missions

OC 5: Data governance and citizen’s digital rights in the Data Protection Act (2019) promoted and protected against disinformation, invasive breaches of big data and personal privacy.

Strategic Partners: Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, National Cohesion and Integration Commission, KICTANET, Open Institute, Strathmore University, Namati.

Boundary Partners: Interior Ministry, ICT Ministry, corporates, Communications Authority

OC 5: A value-based AI Section that is sustainable, results-oriented, efficient, relevant, well-resourced, and professionally managed organisation that maintains internal democracy.

(This will be supported by documented and updated systems in HR, communication, and finance with clarity of decision-making. This will be achieved through effective resource mobilisation and improved technical, functional, organisational and leadership capacity)

Strategic Partners: ICPAK, FKE, IHRM, PRSK, AIK Board, Staff, NGO Coordination Board, KRA.

HOW WE ARE GOVERNED

Amnesty International Kenya runs on people power. We are a democratic organisation, which means that we are governed by individual members like you through our Circles of Conscience.  

Amnesty Kenya held its first national conference of members in 2020. Our national conference has since evolved into the Annual Delegates Conference, held annually. Two representatives of each Circle of Conscience attend the Annual Delegates Conference to vote on decisions that guide the Amnesty Kenya movement. These decisions include the selection of the Board, ADC chairperson, committee members, and nomination committee. 

Read Amnesty International Kenya Constitution

Constitution

Read the Amnesty International Kenya Board Governance Manual

governance Manual

HOW WE ARE FINANCED

Our deeply held core principles of impartiality, independence and accuracy underpin all we do. This is built on an understanding that all human rights must be respected together if we are to achieve a world free from fear and want.

We are independent of any institution, ideology, economic interest, and religion. Our only interest is in achieving human rights for all.

We are funded by Amnesty International Secretariate, Foundations and individual contributions.

Who We Are