The Nairobi Process

• The Nairobi Process, IHRB’s initiative in East Africa, aimed to embed the protection of and respect for human rights, transparency and accountability. 
• Our work with businesses, government and civil society sought to collaboratively address key areas of human rights concerns in the East African extractive sector and on business and human rights more generally in the region.  

(Please note this project is no longer active.)

Discoveries of oil, gas and valuable minerals in Kenya put a sharp focus on the potential of the extractive sector to contribute to the country’s economic development. For the country to realise the benefits of its natural resource endowments, national policies, laws and regulations are needed that secure the necessary foreign and local investment, maximise the economic and social benefits to citizens while minimising, and provide for remediation of the negative impacts that accrue from resource extraction.

• IHRB’s work supported capacity building of national human rights institutions and civil society organisations in East Africa to better engage businesses and governments in achieving corporate respect for human rights.
• IHRB’s analyses of the evolving policy and regulatory framework consistently advocated for the Government of Kenya to strengthen the integration of international and regional human rights standards into national frameworks governing business and human rights, particularly in the extractive sector. IHRB supported the Government of Kenya in developing its Business and Human Rights National Action Plan – the first African country to do so.
• The Extractive Sector Forum aimed to achieve transparency and accountability in the extractive sector, and offered a safe space for interactive discussions on human rights concerns and possible approaches towards their resolution.

• Governments looking to improve NHRIs, NAPs, national legislation on extractive sectors
• Extractive companies and energy commodity traders wanting to improve their human rights due diligence and in particular stakeholder engagement.
• Communities wanting to understand how to better engage with extractive companies and governments.

• Extractive Sector Forum comprising six active multi-stakeholder dialogue sessions on human rights issues held between December 2015 and March 2017. 
• Home government report series on the role of capital markets, innovative new approaches, multi-stakeholder initiatives, reporting requirements, and an international standards overview.
• Exploring the terrain in Kenya and Tanzania’s extractive sectors.
• Various other reports, meetings, submissions on topics including NHRIs, NAPs, security, legislation. (See Resources).