Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya has said there is a need to increase funding for the Children's Justice System in the country.
This is to enable stakeholders to mitigate challenges affecting children and support childcare and welfare programmes.
She spoke during the launch of the National Council on Administration of Justice (NCAJ) National Strategy on Justice for Children (2023-2028), on Thursday.
Mokaya said the recognition of the need for increased budgetary allocation for children in the justice system is key to the implementation of the strategy.
She noted that without adequate financial resources, ambitions for child-friendly facilities, trained justice actors and enhanced capacity to respond to children's needs will remain unfulfilled.
She stated that the launch of the National Strategy is not just a milestone but a beacon of hope and a testament to the justice sector’s unwavering commitment to a brighter future for every child.
"The Strategy we launch today is our promise, our pledge, to fundamentally transform how our society and our justice system interact with and protect our children," Mokaya said.
"As Nelson Mandela powerfully stated, ‘There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.’ Let us reveal the soul of Kenya as one that fiercely protects and cherishes its young."
Mokaya noted that the Strategy was justified by the pressing need to address the systemic and multifaceted issues that children face.
The Strategy is also informed by the injustices that children face, including abuse, neglect and exploitation.
These, Mokaya said, are not just individual tragedies but societal failures that hinder the nation’s progress.
Mokaya assured that the NCAJ will spearhead the coordination efforts, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors to promote, protect, and improve the administration of justice for children in both formal and informal settings.
"Our vision extends far beyond the justice system. We aim to empower all stakeholders - including children themselves, communities, civil society organizations, and development partners - to contribute to a child-friendly justice sector," she said.
"This partnership is not just instrumental; it is essential. Together, we can enhance our response to violence against children, promote their participation and empowerment, and strengthen collaboration among all involved parties."
At the launch also was Chairperson of the NCAJ Standing Committee on Justice for Children Justice Teresia Matheka who said that the Strategy represents NCAJ’s commitment to enhancing the administration and access to justice for children in Kenya.
She said it would require robust coordination and resources from both the government and development partners.
"Together, we can build a justice system that truly serves and protects our children," Matheka said.
The objectives of the Strategy are to ensure a coordinated, efficient, effective and consultative approach to the administration of justice for children in Kenya
It also seeks to empower stakeholders, prevent violence against children, timely response and child participation towards a child-friendly justice system that is well resourced.
Additionally, the Strategy seeks to strengthen the coordination by NCAJ and relevant stakeholders to promote, protect and improve access to justice for children in the formal and informal sector and to establish a monitoring, evaluation, learning and budgeting framework for the child justice system.
