ICLD Alumni graduated with a diploma from Lund university.

Congratulations to all ICLD East Africa Alumni who recently graduated with a diploma from Lund University!

A capacity-building programme entitled "Human rights in gender equality" has been organised by Lund University Raoul Wallenberg Institute and the Swedish Institute, providing opportunities for ICLD Alumni working in the public sector from Kenya and Uganda. The focus was on housing, health, social welfare, town planning, immigration, and emergency preparedness for response sectors, empowering the participants, enhancing their competencies, and increasing their capacities to contribute to driving change processes towards greater resilience and inclusion.

One of the case studies for the Kenyan team was from Kajiado county, a semi-arid region facing severe drought in the pastoralist communities. The settled nomads (pastoralists) in Kenya have been experiencing a severe drought, prompting the international community to provide support. Among the world's key leaders who visited Kenya to witness and aid the drought-hit region in Kajiado County was the First Lady of America, Jill Biden. The settled nomads, who traditionally move from one area to another in search of pasture for their livestock, faced challenges due to the urban development of metropolitan areas. Livestock were observed on roads, causing significant traffic disruptions for motorists. They encountered difficulties in paying trespass fees as they moved between regions, as well as challenges in finding accommodation in new environments. They also faced risks of property theft, illnesses due to harsh weather day and night, and cultural barriers that highlighted the difference between the unity found in rural areas and the individualism prevalent in urban settings.

In the midst of these challenges, the Swedish government, through the Swedish Institute, offered scholarships to a select group of professionals. These professionals were trained in human rights and addressing climate change disasters using the FIRE framework as a guiding principle. The aim was to find solutions for the pastoralists and mitigate the effects of drought. Participants had the opportunity to catch up with the group, and this is what they had to say: "We welcome development in our regions, but it's clear that the significant effects of climate change are largely caused by human activities. Therefore, we hope that the training we are receiving here at Lund University can empower us to bring about change in humanity and reduce the impact of climate change."

After a full year of training, the programme concluded in August 2023, with the students taking home valuable insights for implementation. To ensure the future well-being of the the settled nomads and their cultural practices, it is imperative to engage stakeholders at every stage, from conceptualization and formulation to implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and maintenance of the municipality. Even though many pastoralists have limited formal education, professionals and municipal leaders can enhance public participation in alignment with the constitution, national, county, and municipal laws and regulations. This approach will facilitate a feedback mechanism from the public, aiding in project prioritization and enabling the sharing of multisectoral information. Ultimately, it will improve mechanisms for dispute resolution and grievance redress.

Achieving these goals necessitates the establishment of a robust policy framework, ring-fencing of allocated funds, and assurance of continued budgeting for sustainability and maintenance. By doing so, we can collectively contribute to making the world a better place for all of humanity."

Congratulations to the following ICLD Alumni who received their diplomas in August 2023; from Kenya, Martin Kangiri, Nicholas Waweru, Anne Maasai, Edna Lenku, Emma Njeri, Fredrick Mwangi and Joel Munga from Uganda Christine Kayingo and Rogers both from Jinja City.

John Gitonga, ICLD mentor and Alumni