Judiciary commits to gender mainstreaming, diversity, and affirmative action
The Judiciary Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to gender mainstreaming and the implementation of diversity and affirmative action initiatives across all levels of the institution, underscoring its obligation to foster a workplace where every individual is protected, valued, and enabled to serve with honour and dignity.
The institution pledged to safeguard employee welfare, address workplace sexual harassment, ensure safe reporting mechanisms, and promote a secure and dignified working environment.
Speaking during the launch of the Employee Protection Unit (EPU), Gender Inclusion and Diversity (GID) Unit, and the Gender Mainstreaming, Affirmative Action and Diversity Policies—together with their related Standard Operating Procedures—Chief Justice Martha Koome described the launch as a profound institutional statement that justice must begin from within.
She noted that the initiative signals the Judiciary’s resolve to confront uncomfortable truths, address institutional vulnerabilities, and entrench safeguards that protect the wellbeing, integrity, and dignity of all who work in and interact with the Judiciary.
“We gather not just to launch units and policies, but to reaffirm clearly and unequivocally our collective commitment to dignity, safety, inclusion, and wellbeing within the Judiciary,” said Koome.
She explained that the Social Transformation through Access to Justice (STAJ) Blueprint recognizes employee wellness and wellbeing as a critical pillar of institutional performance, integrity, and public trust.
The blueprint, she added, calls for building not only efficient courts but also a humane institution where every judge, judicial officer, and member of staff can serve without fear, discrimination, or harassment, assured that their wellbeing matters.
Justice Koome emphasized that the reforms speak directly to the integrity of the Judiciary, noting that an institution that protects its people commands confidence both internally and among the public it serves.
“By investing in employee protection and inclusion, we are strengthening the moral authority of the Judiciary and reinforcing its role as the guardian of constitutional values,” she said.
She further stated that translating the Judiciary’s Sexual Harassment, Gender Mainstreaming, and Affirmative Action policies into clear, practical, enforceable, and survivor-centred standard operating procedures will ensure that principles and values are transformed into everyday practice and lived institutional culture.
She stressed that the launch marks the beginning—not the end—of sustained implementation and called on leaders at all levels to be accountable and play their part in fostering a culture of respect, professionalism, and integrity.
“The Judiciary occupies a unique place in our constitutional democracy, a role that demands not only legal competence but also moral credibility. We cannot ask Kenyans to believe in justice if we are unwilling to practice it internally,” Koome said.
Supreme Court Judge Lady Justice Njoki Ndungu, who chairs the Employee Protection and Inclusivity Committee, noted that Kenya’s legal framework provides a strong foundation for the policies, adding that their implementation is not merely a matter of workplace regulation but of legal compliance.
Justice Njoki said the policies translate constitutional promises and statutory obligations into practical safeguards that protect every member of the Judiciary.
“We are not only complying with the law—we are affirming our values. We are declaring that dignity, equality, and respect are non-negotiable, and that our workplaces must reflect the justice we uphold in society. Every person has a right to equal treatment and protection, both within and outside the workplace,” she said.
Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Winfridah Mokaya noted that transformational ideas are not delivered through well-intentioned documents alone, but through clear structures, disciplined implementation, and sustained oversight.
She added that the approval of the policies by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) demonstrates the Judiciary’s commitment to prioritizing employee wellness and safety. CRJ Mokaya assured that her office will support the operations of the two units, noting that measures have already been put in place to operationalize them as spending units.