departments

Security Department

COMMUNITY SECURITY
UNDP strategic approach to supporting the security sector Security services, when operating with respect for human rights, support sustainable development, reduce poverty and contribute to social protection. Only strong and legitimate security institutions can address and prevent violence, crime and terrorism.

UNDP's strategic support to the security sector includes two pillars:
- Governance, which entails support to the development of transparent, accountable and effective security institutions that respond to the needs of citizens.
- Community-based security, achieved through engaging local communities.

People-centred approach to security As the main guiding principle of UN peace and security programming, UNDP’s people-centred approach to security serves to achieve the vision of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. A people-centred approach to security seeks to create a balance between the interests of people and the state. It is a combination of top-down, state-based approaches and bottom-up, people-driven solutions. In contrast to the human security approach that adopts an expansive view on security, people-centred security prioritizes core areas of personal (physical) and community security.

Having experienced setbacks in some contexts, and even an increase in violence in instances when security programming has reverted to a more conventional state-centric security approach, UNDP has utilized its integrator role and convened partners to jointly invest additional efforts on the ground to implement people-centred approaches. In Collaboration with the Folke Bernadotte Academy of Sweden (FBA), an Advisory Group on people-centred security was established composed of ten UN bodies and ten international organizations, think tanks and academia.

UNDP’s comparative advantage on promoting people-centred security includes its ability to:

- Strengthen the multi-agency approach, ensuring that partners have the relevant and necessary tools/information on how to contribute towards achieving the SDGs at the country level as well as at the global level.
- Support governments to include SDG16 indicators in public evidence-based policies on security and to bring the SDGs to the local level by reflecting real security needs in local plans and strategies, including through community security programmes.

Community security as a UNDP strategic approach
Community security is a strategy that implements UNDP people-centred approach, through engaging a wide range of state and civil society actors to identify root causes of conflict and violence and develop coordinated responses. A key focus in community security is to improve the delivery of services and enable the recipients of these services to have agency in identifying their needs and security solutions. Community security is vital for achieving transformational change and for addressing injustice, insecurity and inequality.
A number of programmatic frameworks are available to implement the community security approach. Community Security and Social Cohesion, and Citizen Security are the frameworks UNDP’s Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights team applies in most settings.

Youth Department

   Youth in Kenya have great potential and present a great resource with respect to sustainable development. Given an opportunity, they can and have demonstrated capability in ensuring peace and development. However, over the years, youth have been disengaged from normal productive activities in school, in the family and community.
   This goes on to increased youth involvement in armed crime which has only led to the death of youth, both innocent and criminals. The measures put in place to halt the prevalence of youth involvement in armed crimes have not been as successful. The Nyumba Kumi Initiative is a strategy of anchoring community policing at various levels that is household level, market, estate among others. This study is set to assess how effective the Nyumba Kumi policing initiative is in Kenya. This is in terms of governance i.e inclusivity of the youth.
   The study took place in Kayole, Nairobi County. Data was acquired through administering of questionnaires and Key Informant Interviews. A total of 300 questionnaires were administered. The primary data was subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis. Several key findings observed include inter alia; Lack of inclusivity of the youth in community policing initiatives. Keeping in mind that community intelligence is the best intelligence, this research would enhance the existing structures of the Nyumba Kumi Initiative for improved human security.

Women Department

Our mission
“To inspire and enrich women’s lives and experience and to empower them to reach their full potential in health, wellbeing, education, learning and social inclusion.”

To achieve our mission we:
   1. Provide a safe and comfortable environment to discuss, share and participate in the issues and challenges they face in everyday life.
   2. Improve knowledge, Information advice and signposting to help them make informed choices about their health and wellbeing.
   3. Develop programme of activities to help them stay active and prevent illness and disease.
   4. Develop training opportunities to build skills and strengthen confidence.

Our Vision & Objectives
Our Vision: Healthier women, Healthier communities

Our overall organisational objectives are to:
   1. Engage more women in community activities.
   2. Encourage women to have a voice and have fresh and varied thinking and perspective.
   3. Enable women to find their inner confidence.
   4. Empower women to start their journey by nurturing their ideas and goals.

PLWDS Department

PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

Objectives:

   1. Based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the national objective of disability policy is to achieve equitable living conditions and full participation in a diverse society for people with disabilities. This objective will help to increase gender equality and ensure that a child rights perspective is taken into account
   2. To improve the lives of Persons with Severe Disabilities.
   3. To empower caregivers in order to improve the lives and livelihoods of persons with severe disabilities within their households.
   4. To promote effective measures for prevention of disability, rehabilitation and the realization of the goals of ''full participation'' of disabled persons in social life and development, and of ''equality''. This means opportunities equal to those of the whole population and an equal share in the improvement in living conditions resulting from social and economic development. These concepts should apply with the same scope and with the same urgency to all countries, regardless of their level of development. The programme seeks to enhance the capacities of care givers through cash transfers and as such, improve the livelihoods of persons with severe disabilities as well as reduce negative impact of disability on households. It targets adults and children with severe disabilities, who require full time support of a caregiver.
   5. To strengthen the capacities of parents and children with disabilities,
   6. Improve the livelihoods of parents and children with disabilities,
   7. Alleviate integrated poverty among parents and children with disabilities.

DEPARTMENTS

Security Department

Youth Department

Women Department

PLWDS Department