Water: Governance in the water sector is particularly important, not only ability to rise out of poverty, but also neglect in service provision can result in devastating declines in social and economic welfare. Lack of access to portable water has a direct impact on the health of people and nations. Improving governance in the sector must therefore first be anchored on a strong policy and legal framework that entrenches transparency, accountability and participation. While there have been credible attempts to legislate in favour of transparency and accountability, there are still laws and practices in the sector that need to be strengthened to actualize integrity in the water sector. To promote good governance in the water sector and provide a unified framework for activity at different levels of the governance agenda, efforts must go beyond processes and provide for tracking of the outcomes of these processes.
Climate Finance Governance: Climate change has been identified as the worst disaster facing the world today. Kenya is among developing countries worst hit by its effects. In addition, deforestation and forest degradation are the second leading cause of global warming, responsible for about 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which makes the loss and depletion of forests a major issue for climate change. REDD+ (Reducing Emmissions from Deforetstation and from Degradation) mechanism is to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. CIAG-Kenya will continue to work with public institutions involved in climate finance with the aim of putting in place stronger governance systems and enhancing transparency and accountability in processes addressing climate change.
Extractive industry: The extractive industry includes the development and exploitation of natural resources including renewable (water, forestry, wildlife, and fisheries) and non-renewable natural resources (coal, oil, gas and minerals). In Kenya there are significant efforts aimed at enhancing
the governance and management of renewable resources. On the other hand, non-renewable resources have not received much attention probably because the existence and abundance is not very well understood. The government has commissioned a lot of exploration activities in the country. Recent discoveries of commercially viable petroleum, coal and other mineral deposits have been reported. How these resources are accessed and developed will present either a blessing or a curse to the country. The greatest gainers or losers will be the host communities in the regions where these resources are found. Strengthening governance is the proactive way of ensuring that the host communities and the country as a whole benefit from revenue that accrue from these resources. CIAG–Kenya will target streamlining governance in the natural resources sector by supporting and influencing development of effective policies and legislation, strengthening governance in relevant public institutions and promoting civic and private sector engagement.
To address the working conditions of workers; health and safety, child labor, relevant legislation. As CIAG-KENYA, we seek to venture more into the concerns of miners. We are bridging not only the awareness gap but the representation gap as well. We want to amply miners’ voices and make them cry loud enough to reach the duty bearers. The channels we would explore include diplomacy, intensive research, civic education, and finally, linkages and partnerships