Governance & Inclusive Political Participation

Areas of Impact

The democratization processes in Africa are beset with many political obstacles and tensions. Despite major achievements in this respect, the African continent still confronts frequent social uprisings and electoral violence. The foundation of our work is our belief that poor and marginalized people can gain control over their own lives by exercising their right to political participation, freedom of expression and information, freedom of assembly and access to justice. But these rights are at risk in many parts of Africa and the first to face the brunt of human rights deprivation are the women, youth, and other vulnerable groups.

While the application of this goal varies from place to place and time to time, JENA’s work on social justice focuses on supporting women and youth because deep-rooted inequalities of societal power are often gender- and generation- based. We work to encourage women, young people and other vulnerable people to influence and participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives, and to strive for political leaderships through leadership development programmers. Through our research and analysis, we propose social accountability tools that enhance participatory monitoring of government public finance, ensure that poor people benefit from revenue flows, including from extractive industries. Enhancing public participation and accountability is especially relevant for policies on financing for development, promoting good governance and the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Contact Info

Get in Touch

Would you like to support our work towards a just, poverty-free, peaceful and ecologically regenerative Africa? Please get in touch with us.

+254 20 3884528
Jesuit Africama House, 260 Dagoretti RoadNairobiKenya

Programs & Campaigns

Join our initiatives

Economy, Health, Justice
Africa Health & Economic Transformation Initiative

AHETI is a pan-African initiative aimed at eradicating poverty diseases endemic in Africa, namely, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, hepatitis B and diarrhoea by promoting efforts and policies to ramp up local production of pharmaceuticals in Africa.

Education, Justice
Bakhita Partnership for Education

The Bakhita Partnership for Education is an independently governed faith-based partnership building a community where all girls and women live in safety, have the education needed to earn a living wage, and the opportunities to build a secure future.

Economy, Justice
Economy of Francesco

The Economy of Francesco is an initiative that brings together young economists, entrepreneurs, and change-makers from around the world to “enter a covenant” to change today’s economy and to give a soul to the economy of tomorrow.

Food Security, Justice
Small-Scale Fisheries

While global fisheries could contribute much more effectively and directly to fulfilling the human right to subsistence (an ethical norm that is as universal and binding as any under international law), their potential to do so is undermined by legal structures that favour the extractivist model and fail to legislate ethical norms.