Impact of Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy on Prison Reforms: Case of Nairobi West Prison

Abstract

The study aimed to establish the impact of civil society human rights advocacy on prison reforms in Kenya, focusing on Nairobi West Prison. Prisons are part of the broader public sector, and efforts have been made worldwide to reform public institutions to improve service delivery. The study employed a descriptive research design. The target population comprised human rights officers at Nairobi West Prison, prison staff, inmates, and members of civil society human rights organisations. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview guides. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis.

The findings revealed differences in perceptions of human rights advocacy among the respondents. Inmates reported inadequate human rights advocacy, while prison officers and human rights officers indicated that adequate human rights reforms were being implemented. Regarding the effectiveness of advocacy actions, respondents agreed that access to visits and telephone calls had improved. They also reported that several measures had been introduced, including the construction of additional prisons and the use of alternative measures to imprisonment.

Regarding prison reforms, most inmates expressed dissatisfaction with the level of reforms, whereas human rights officers reported satisfaction with the reforms. The study concludes that increased human rights advocacy and further prison reforms are necessary to improve the effectiveness of advocacy actions and promote better prison conditions. The findings are expected to benefit the government, policymakers, scholars, and human rights activists in strengthening prison reform initiatives in Kenya.