NAIROBI, 12 March 2018 - UN-Habitat marked this year’s International Women’s Day with a week- long campaign which commenced with a dialogue on “Homelessness and women’s and children’s right to adequate housing”. Discussions focused the condition of homeless women and children in Kenyan slums, and how the challenge can be addressed with a grass-roots perspective.

Rachael Mwikali, a feminist and grassroots-based activist spoke about the impact of forced evictions on women’s livelihoods. The second panelist, Ms. Nafula Faith Wafula a programme director at Brydges Centers, which provides sanctuary for homeless girls, noted that homelessness contributes significantly to most human rights violations affecting young girls, and endangers their mental health.