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This report outlines the developmental landscape of Kenya, highlighting its leadership in information technology and relative strengths in health and education, while noting that corruption and poor access to basic services hinder its progress.

This research paper examines the role of local peace-building organizations in reducing the demand for small arms in Kenya, arguing that community-based, demand-side interventions are more effective in marginalized areas than traditional state-sponsored supply-side regulations.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the drivers of rising insecurity and terror attacks in Kenya, specifically those attributed to Al-Shabaab. The authors argue that addressing the crisis requires a combination of regional cooperation to curb arms proliferation, increased intelligence gathering with civilian support, and the mitigation of socio-economic grievances such as youth unemployment and marginalisation.

The document details a seminar on the African Union's (AU) response to unconstitutional changes of government, specifically military coups. It evaluates the Lomé Declaration and the AU's consistency in applying sanctions, while proposing reforms to address poor governance and presidential term limits to prevent future instability.

The report details the outcomes of a conference held in Jinja, Uganda, from 11 to 13 March 2009, focusing on the impact of HIV and AIDS on African armed forces. It argues that the pandemic threatens regional security and development, specifically noting that recruitment policies based on health factors can lead to "grossly diminished soldier’s combat readiness." The participants recommend the creation of an African Network on HIV and AIDS in the military to spearhead a unified policy (CCAAHM) covering recruitment, the care of HIV-positive soldiers, and guidelines for peacekeeping deployments. Key proposed actions include adopting a common policy for control and prevention, integrating voluntary counseling and testing (VCCT) in pre-deployment, and conducting human rights assessments of HIV-related military policies.

The document examines the cycle of abduction, militarisation, and reintegration of children in Northern Uganda, specifically those targeted by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). It details the psychological brutalisation used to control child soldiers, the role of spiritual rituals in the LRA, and the effectiveness of psychosocial rehabilitation centres like GUSCO and World Vision. The authors argue that the focus on child soldiers often serves as a 'smokescreen' that obscures the underlying political disenfranchisement and economic collapse of the Acholi region, while highlighting the importance of traditional Acholi cleansing rituals in facilitating community reconciliation.

The preface introduces a collaborative research project between the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) aimed at understanding the links between natural resources, land tenure, and conflict in Africa. It acknowledges the contributions of various researchers, peer reviewers, and informants, specifically noting fieldwork conducted in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Angola. The work was supported by the United States Agency for International Development’s Regional Economic Development and Services Office for Eastern and Southern Africa (REDSO/ESA) and incorporates findings from a December 2004 conference on Land Tenure and Conflict in Africa.

This report summarizes a seminar held on October 17, 2008, at the United Nations Conference Center regarding the implications of the 2008 US Presidential Election for Africa. The event featured presentations by Dr. Steven Erkovich and Dr. Joseph Vincent Ebode, who analyzed US foreign policy motivations, the specific propositions of candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, and the strategic rationale behind Obama's candidacy.

The document identifies the primary threats to human security in Zimbabwe as a political impasse following the March 2008 elections and a severe economic collapse. It highlights the role of state control over the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the impact of the Fast Track Land Resettlement Programme on political polarization, and hyperinflation exceeding 100,000% in January 2008. While noting a lack of open ethnic conflict, it observes that racial and ethnic prejudices are often mobilized for political gain during periods of turbulence.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) cautions the UK government against proposing changes to human rights laws to facilitate counter-terrorism, arguing that such 'heavy-handed tactics' often fuel terrorist recruitment. Citing examples from Nigeria, Kenya, Algeria, Egypt, and Chad, the letter asserts that state abuses provide justification for groups like Boko Haram and al-Shabaab. The ISS highlights that in Africa, militant attacks rose from 171 in 2009 to 738 in 2015, suggesting that neglecting the rule of law undermines intelligence gathering and international cooperation. The document concludes that upholding human rights is a strategic necessity for defeating groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

The report examines how insecure land access and the manipulation of land rights contribute to poverty and violent conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights the tension between customary and statutory tenure systems and warns that land is often used as a 'resource of conflict' by elites to consolidate power and enforce ethnic divisions. The authors argue for the importance of local governance and field-based empirical research in developing effective land policies and reconciliation efforts.

The document examines the establishment of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) following the 2010 Cancun and 2011 Durban agreements. It critiques the World Bank's historical role in climate finance, citing conflicts of interest, a bias toward mitigation over adaptation, and the promotion of private sector instruments that may marginalise the poorest nations. The author advocates for the GCF to maintain a distinct legal personality, an independent secretariat, and a grant-based approach to adaptation to ensure direct access for developing countries, particularly in Africa.

The document explores the tension between formal 'due process' and substantive justice, arguing that criminal law is often a tool for political and economic power rather than a neutral instrument. It contrasts consensus-functionalist and radical-conflict paradigms of law and evaluates the impact of colonial legacies on the current state of criminal justice in Africa, where corruption and repression remain prevalent.

The document assesses how climate variability and anthropogenic factors drive resource scarcity and conflict in Africa, focusing on the African Union's response and specific regional crises in the Lake Chad Basin, Lesotho, the Nile Basin, the Niger Delta, Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, and Uganda.

The report argues that traditional state-led security policies in Kenya, which focus on coercive disarmament and supply-side regulation, are ineffective in 'borderlands' where government presence is limited. Instead, it highlights the success of community-based organizations (CBOs) and NGOs in reducing the demand for small arms and light weapons (SALW) by addressing root causes such as poverty, resource competition, and identity-based conflict. Through case studies in Nairobi, Marsabit, Isiolo, the Northeastern Province, Tana River, and the North Rift, the author demonstrates that integrating development, education, and customary law into security frameworks can shrink gun markets from the bottom up.

The NAP Global Network has partnered with 13 countries since 2017 to integrate gender considerations into National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, supporting the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan. The network provides support through targeted gender analysis, the development of gender-responsive strategies, increasing participation in decision-making, and establishing institutional arrangements. Specific examples of progress include gender and human rights analysis in the Marshall Islands, a gender integration strategy for Ghana's Green Climate Fund NAP readiness project, a Memorandum of Understanding between gender and climate ministries in Côte d’Ivoire, and storytelling training for women in Kenya.

The fact sheet describes Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) as endogenous, inclusive tools used by indigenous and local communities to define their rights and responsibilities under customary, state, and international law. It details how BCPs facilitate proactive responses to threats like illegal mining and infrastructure projects, and how they support the protection of traditional knowledge and biodiversity. The document provides several case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and promotes a toolkit and website for community facilitators to develop and implement these protocols.

The document introduces 'biocultural community protocols' as tools for Indigenous and local communities to articulate their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes to external actors. It provides a structured four-part framework for facilitators to guide communities through the process of documentation, implementation, and reflection. The toolkit emphasizes endogenous development, legal empowerment, and participatory methods—such as community mapping, participatory video, and 'Legislative Theatre'—to reduce power asymmetries and safeguard collective biocultural heritage against external threats like land grabbing and industrial resource extraction.

The document outlines a multi-step process for creating biocultural community protocols, starting with an assessment of appropriateness and moving through the 'mapping' of community identity, natural foundations, sociocultural aspects, economic principles, and political and legal frameworks. It emphasizes community-led decision-making, the protection of sensitive traditional knowledge, and the strategic consolidation of findings into a format that communicates clear messages to external decision-makers to achieve legal and political goals.

The document outlines strategies for using biocultural community protocols to establish dialogue with external stakeholders, raise awareness internally and externally, and participate in legal and administrative decision-making processes. It emphasizes the use of participatory communication tools—such as video, photography, and community mapping—to balance power dynamics and ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The guide also provides practical advice on navigating national and international legal frameworks, negotiating binding agreements, and resolving conflicts through non-violent, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.