The National Gender and Equality Commission’s (NGEC) Legal Department took legal aid to remandees and inmates in three Nairobi prisons during Legal Awareness Week 2026, held from 26 to 30 October.
The Commission joined the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and other partners for the week, held under the theme “Community Advocates: Bridging the Gap Between People and Justice”. The initiative brings legal information and assistance closer to communities and persons in custody, helping people understand their rights, explore remedies and learn where to seek redress.
INSIDE THE PRISONS
On the second day of the week, the Commission joined the LSK, the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), the National Legal Aid Service (NLAS) and Kenyatta University School of Law students at Industrial Area Prison. The team visited the Medium and Maximum Security sections and engaged remandees on their constitutional rights, including the right to a fair hearing under Article 50 of the Constitution.
At the Medium Security section, an interactive session addressed questions on legal rights, individual cases and the administration of justice. At the Maximum Security section, remandees received one-on-one legal assistance. The Commission also took part in mobile legal aid outreach in Kibera.
On the third day, the Commission joined the LSK, SHOFCO, IMLU and law students from the University of Nairobi, Mount Kenya University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) at Nairobi West Prison. Remandees enquired about their cases and received guidance on their legal concerns.
WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN
At Lang’ata Women’s Prison, the Legal Department held a plenary session on inmates’ fundamental rights, followed by questions and answers and one-on-one sessions with individual inmates.
Many women raised concern for the welfare of their very young children, who had been left at home without adequate care while their mothers were in custody. The team also noted missing case documents, including witness statements, which may affect the preparation and progression of cases.
The week’s programme also scheduled mobile legal aid caravans in Mukuru, Githurai 44 and Kasarani, and legal aid outreach at Kamiti Maximum and Medium Prisons on 30 October.
The Commission holds that legal awareness and accessible legal support are central to ensuring that persons in custody, including women in correctional facilities, understand their rights and the avenues available to them in seeking justice.
