Legal Empowerment Fund (LEF) Communications Project
The Challenge
Despite recent legal progress, intersex persons in Kenya continue to face systemic discrimination, stigma, and exclusion.
Key challenges include:
- Limited awareness and weak implementation of the Children Act 2022 among duty bearers such as civil registrars, health workers, police officers, teachers, and community administrators.
- Significant policy gaps, particularly the absence of legal protection for intersex adults.
- Continued harmful conversion practices driven by misinformation and lack of accountability.
- Low public understanding of intersex variations, resulting in stigma and social marginalisation.
- A challenging policy environment where ongoing debates on sex and gender threaten recent legal gains.
Without targeted legal empowerment and public education, these challenges undermine access to justice and the full realisation of rights.
What the Project Addresses
The project directly responds to:
- Gaps in legal literacy on intersex rights and protections
- Weak implementation of new legal provisions under the Children Act 2022
- Lack of accessible information for intersex persons and parents on how to use the law
- Limited policy momentum toward the Intersex Persons Bill
- Persistent stigma and discrimination at community and institutional levels
Our Approach & Interventions
AMKA Africa implements a rights-based communications and legal empowerment strategy that includes:
- Documentary Storytelling: Producing a documentary that captures Kenya’s intersex rights advocacy journey, including litigation, research, policy engagement, community training, and legal reform. The documentary serves as a long-term advocacy and training tool.
- Legal Awareness & Empowerment Materials: Developing simplified and structured legal knowledge through manuals, illustrations, skits, and comics that translate complex laws into practical, accessible information.
- Targeted Dissemination & Engagement: Sharing project outputs through digital platforms, mainstream media, community radio, and hybrid screenings that engage policymakers, duty bearers, intersex persons, parents, community leaders, civil society organisations, and law students.
- Strengthening Communications & Digital Security: Building the capacity of communications volunteers through cybersecurity training and strengthening ICT systems to protect sensitive advocacy work.
The Impact
Through this project, AMKA Africa aims to achieve:
Improved understanding and application of the Children Act 2022 by key duty bearers
Increased ability of intersex persons and parents to claim legal recognition and protection
Reduced stigma and improved public acceptance of intersex persons
Stronger advocacy momentum for the introduction and passage of the Intersex Persons Bill
Sustainable advocacy tools that support intersex rights work in Kenya and across the region
Why This Project Matters
Legal reform alone is not sufficient. Laws must be understood, implemented, and defended to deliver real change.
This project ensures that intersex persons are empowered with knowledge, protected by law, and recognised with dignity—while institutions are held accountable to uphold their legal obligations.
