National Shelters Network- (NSN)

The National Shelters Network Conference kenya

The First National Shelters Network Conference
Programme : March 31, 2022 9.00 am – 4:00pm
Venue : Nairobi Safari Club

National Shelters Network Conference

On March 31^st, Centre for Domestic Training and Development (CDTD) is planning to bring together all the Non-state shelters in Kenya and other relevant stakeholders that foster services to victims of Child Labour (CL), Forced Labour (FL), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Human Trafficking (HT) and other forms of violations.

This conference is scheduled to take place during the Women’s month and a week after the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims in tribute to Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero who actively engaged in denouncing violations of human rights of most vulnerable in Elsavador. CDTD hopes to amplify these legendary voices in championing the plight of victims of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Gender-Based Violence and Human Trafficking and other violations through a stakeholders’ conference in Nairobi dubbed “Building bridges between Actors and Victims”.

Background Information of NSN

The National Shelters Network (NSN) was established in October 2019 by the Centre for Domestic Training and Development (CDTD). CDTD conducted a baseline survey of shelters in Kenya to create a community of practice among the shelters service providers to strengthen the referral system for victims of Gender-Based Violence, Child Labour, Forced Labour, Victims of Human Trafficking and other victims of Human Rights Violations.

The network currently comprises 55 members drawn from 18 counties of Kenya. Since its formation, CDTD is the custodian of the NSN secretariat and with the support of the NSN members coordinates the referral of cases across the country.

The Objectives and Functions of National Shelters Network Kenya

Objectives:

Functions:

To promote a consistent level of services for all shelter programs in Kenya by facilitating a peer-led self-assessment process that will identify and codify local best practices.
To identify strategies to address capacity gaps and training needs of the network’s membership.
To enable a joint and coordinated approach to advocacy towards policy change in areas related to shelters as a protection mechanism for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and other forms of rights violations that need temporary shelter – and related services.
To build linkages with other relevant state and non-state actors for resources mobilization and advocacy on guidelines and standards for shelter registration and operations.

The Role NSN Stakeholders

NSN is a national platform where shelters can interact, exchange knowledge and strengthen each other to provide effective and efficient services to the victims and survivors of GBV, CL, FL, and HT.
NSN unifies the shelter survivors’ voices so that they have an impactful and deliberate part in influencing the formation and implementation of laws and policies and improving victims’ rights.
NSN is the bridge to local and international governments in articulating the shelter’s service needs, policy gaps, data management, operations standards and resource gaps.
NSN seeks to address community ills by providing safe spaces for victims and survivors and improving the capacity of caregivers.

Policy & Advocacy
- Addressing gaps and opportunities in the legal frame
- work
- Continuous policy analysis and development
- Licensing/Registration
- Advocacy around the sector issues
- Mainstreaming of global issues, including linkages with global players
Sector Development

Different experiences of sector members can be shared and addressed
The operational ecosystem can be modeled and constructed to onboard efficiency and logical frameworks
Identifying sectoral barriers, formulating solutions and deploying them at scale
Establishing standards of practice

Sector Academy

Direct technical assistance Mentoring
Capacity building programs
Technology and information clearinghouse
Stay connected with emerging knowledge, technology, practices

Sector Services

Registry services for members
Provision of sector-specific services, such as regulation, validation, credentialing
Reference bureau services

Unified Voice

Liaison services, including linkages
Sector representation
Enhanced ability to pool resources in pursuit of specific agenda
Can build public agency around issues
Able to pool data, produce current content

Credentialing

Referencing system registry services
Peer-to-peer engagement
May grow to provide an internal accreditation mechanism
Professionalizing the sector

Upcoming Event

FIRST NATIONAL SHELTERS CONFERENCE

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME FOR 31ST MARCH, 2022 NAIROBI SAFARI CLUB 9.00AM – 4PM

Left to the First National Shelter Conference.

Objectives of The National Shelters Network Conference

Overall Objective:

Specific Objectives:

The main goal of the conference is to enhance service providers, victims and stakeholders’ interactions and promote dignity through shared experiences, policy advocacy, mapping and support for victims of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Gender-Based Violence, Human Trafficking and other violations.

To convene stakeholders’, state actors, non-state actors and donors in discussing linkages on issues of provision of shelters and shelter services for victims of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Gender Based Violence, Human Trafficking and other violations.
To promote and create an opportunity for shelters to advocate for recognition and registration and resourcing in the Kenyan laws.
To help shelters develop evidence-based pathways to improve services for victims of Gender-Based Violence, Child Labour, Forced Labour, and Human Trafficking.
To increase opportunities for resource mobilization to better shelter service programming in Kenya for victims of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Gender Based Violence and Human Trafficking.
To increase visibility for shelter service providers offering services to victims of Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence.
To inspire a regional collaboration of shelter service providers in East Africa.

A Few Words

About The Event Organiser

Having participated in three consecutive World Conferences of Women’s Shelters, the Centre for Domestic Training and Development felt indebted to implement the learnings and best practices accrued from the global shelters network initiative. With the learnings from the conferences, CDTD conducted a Nairobi-based shelters mapping exercise towards the end of November 2019 to establish existing shelters and synergize towards the formation of a national chapter/network of shelters.

The mapping was conducted to establish the existence of shelters; and their active and credible roles in the provision of transitional care through shelter, safe/halfway houses, or providing related services and linkages. The exercise was conducted through physical visits for observations, interviews, review of available literature and online content/ google maps published on websites and social media pages, etc. to enable CDTD in collaborating information.

The National Shelters Network (NSN) – the first of its kind in the country, was formed in the year 2020, officially kicked off on February 2020, and currently has 57 members from across eighteen counties in Kenya. The Network was formed to enhance the mobilization of resources (as a consortium) with like-minded child protection, GBV, and other rights violations centered organizations; to enhance the effectiveness of referral systems (the Network has intervened over 1,000 rescue calls and 300 cross-referrals since its inception); to help curb duplication of effort, help with cost-cutting, and provide CDTD and other actors with a platform to engage decision-makers about increased resource allocation in VAW/G intervention and prevention programs.