Visit to Kenya by UN expert on the human rights of internally displaced persons

GENEVA (16 September 20119 – UN Special Rapporteur Chaloka Beyani will visit Kenya from 19 to 27 September to examine the overall situation of internally displaced persons in the country, and gather first-hand information from displaced persons and affected communities.

“During my nine-day visit, I will consider the situation of internally displaced persons with a view to assessing the achievement of durable solutions, and devising strategies to prevent future internal displacements,” said the independent expert designated by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report on the human rights situation of internally displaced persons around the world.

The expert will discuss with relevant stakeholders the ratification of African Union Convention on Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (known as the Kampala Convention), and the status of relevant national legislation and policy related to internally displaced persons, including most notably the status of the draft national policy on internally displaced persons.

The Special Rapporteur will meet with Government representatives, members of civil society, UN officials and other parties. He will also visit various sites of displacement and meet with displaced persons, local authorities and affected communities.

Mr. Beyani will present preliminary observations at a press conference in Nairobi on 27 September 2011. His full report will be presented to the Human Rights Council in March 2012.

Chaloka Beyani, a Zambian national and professor of international law at the London School of Economics, was appointed as Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons by the Human Rights Council in September 2010.

Learn more about the mandate and work of the Special Rapporteur, visit: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/idp/index.htm

OHCHR Country Page – Kenya: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/KEIndex.aspx

For more information and media requests, please contact: Choice Okoro, Head of Communications and Advocacy, OCHA Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya (Tel: +254 20 762 5317 / Mob: +254 732 500 020 / email: okoroc@un.org) or Rosa da Costa (Tel: +41 22 917 9140 / email: rdacosta@ohchr.org) or write to idp@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, OHCHR Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

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