Bondo, Siaya County — In the heart of Bondo, Siaya County, a quiet but powerful movement was set in motion this week. The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), through its Kisumu Regional Office and in partnership with Sulwe CBO, Child Ambassadors, Dak Achana, and Gender Dialogues, officially launched a new initiative titled “Peeling the Face of Business and Human Rights – Haki Mashinani.
Held at the Legacy Hotel in Bondo, the launch brought together community leaders, youth representatives, civil society actors, and human-rights advocates to chart a new path for artisanal-mining communities—one that promotes economic inclusion while protecting vulnerable groups from exploitation and gender-based harm.
Funded by the European Commission and implemented under the Haki Ni Yetu Programme, the Haki Mashinani project seeks to raise awareness of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), map humanrights risks in the mining sector, and strengthen community-led prevention, reporting, and referral mechanisms.
While the mining industry has long been a source of livelihood for many in Western Kenya, it remains fraught with social, environmental, and human-rights challenges. In particular, women, youth, and persons with disabilities often bear therunt of unsafe working conditions, economic exclusion, and abuse. Speaking during the launch, NGEC representatives underscored the need for a human-rights–based approach to development in the extractives sector.
“The mining sector presents immense potential for local economic growth, yet it also exposes communities to significant human-rights vulnerabilities,” the Commission noted. “Through Haki Mashinani, we aim to equip communities with the tools to identify, prevent and respond to gender-based violence and discrimination, while promoting equitable participation in resource governance.”
Planned activities include baseline studies to document gender-based risks and social inequalities, capacity-building workshops for community-based organisations, and multistakeholder dialogues designed to inform stronger national frameworks on business and human rights.
