The Wajibu Wetu programme

ForumCiv has been implementing the Wajibu Wetu Programme to support social transformation in Kenya for the last 6 years. A lot has been achieved, many lessons learned, and it has contributed to growth and knowledge generation on what works and what doesn’t work at the partner, community, and ForumCiv level when it comes to social change. 

ForumCiv made a bold decision to support non-traditional civil society organizations, which has opened opportunities for individuals and institutions. Artivism (art for activism) has been a distinctive approach where support was directed to the new frontier of media, arts, cultural and gender-focused civil society organizations.

This support was necessary to reach out to a critical mass of rights holders to deepen democracy, strengthen inclusive citizen participation and accountability, and bring gender-mainstreaming to the forefront of the governance agenda in Kenya. The partners used creative and innovative avenues, such as music, traditional and new media, artivism, cultural festivals, documentaries, and investigative journalism. The programme has empowered right-holders to expand the democratic space for alternate ‘voices’ that expose and address critical topics like corruption, extra-judicial killings, gender-based violence, and discrimination. 

What is the goal of the programme?

The programme looks to build on the gains made in the previous two phases and will focus on five result areas: 

Strengthening inclusive governance and democracy; 

Aims to strengthen community voice and agency in building responsive and accountable governance structures and processes. 

Expected outcomes: 

1. Strengthening community voices in decision-making and development processes. 
2. Increasing the capacity of the communities to demand and claim human rights. 
3. Enhanced accountability by duty bearers toward responsible service delivery.   

Enhancing community empowerment, resilience, and adaptation; 

Aims to improve the resilience, and adaptative capacity of the community to environmental, and socio-economic disruptions.  

Expected Outcomes: 

1. Enhance the adaptive capacities of communities to cope with the effects of climate change and other shocks from unprecedented disasters. 
2. Enhance the capacity of the community to adapt to socioeconomic shocks.  

Contributing to gender equality; 

Aims to strengthen gender agency in society. 

Expected Outcomes: 

1. Enhanced resilience against gender-based violence. 
2. Increased political inclusion and participation of women in political processes. 
3. Enhanced equitable and non-discriminative enjoyment of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR).  

Networking, linkages, and movement building; 

Aims to empower partnerships, networks, coalitions, and movements for sustained aggregate voice and action. 

Expected outcomes:

1. Strengthening effective citizen partnerships, networks, coalitions, and sustained movements. 
2. Coalescing voices and collective action towards strategic solidarity. 
3. Enhanced strategic results communications, documentation, and dissemination of programme impacts and emerging insights. 
4. Strengthened leadership, foresight, and organizational sustainability. 

Enhancing Capacities of CSOs 

Aims to strengthen the internal capacity of ForumCiv and its partners to deliver on their mandate. 

Expected outcomes:

1. Wajibu Wetu; Jumuika, Sikika! stakeholders strengthening organizational, programmatic, and thematic capacity. 
2. Enhanced intergenerational mentorship and experiential learning for young men and women towards effective change-making and leadership. 
3. Partner organizations are more sustainable. 

Project overview: 

Project name: Wajibu Wetu; Jumuika, Sikika! 

Programme goal: To enhance inclusive governance, empowerment, and resilience of communities towards the realization of human rights. 

Project budget: SEK 61.7 million 

Project period: 3 years (August 2022- December 2025) 

Funded by: Sida