Report on the OVC breakfast meeting on right to property ... - Kelin
Report on the OVC breakfast meeting on right to property ... - Kelin
Report on the OVC breakfast meeting on right to property ... - Kelin
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<str<strong>on</strong>g>Report</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>OVC</strong> C<strong>on</strong>sultative Breakfast Meeting<br />
<strong>property</strong> in <strong>the</strong> ambit of cus<strong>to</strong>mary law which is more often than not repugnant <strong>to</strong> justice and morality.<br />
• The CRADLE’s interacti<strong>on</strong> with orphans reveals that <strong>the</strong> relatives of <strong>the</strong> deceased always move with supers<strong>on</strong>ic speed <strong>to</strong><br />
divide <strong>the</strong> properties am<strong>on</strong>gst <strong>the</strong>mselves and <strong>the</strong> penalties are lenient.<br />
• The law always presumes that <strong>the</strong> surviving spouse will take care of <strong>the</strong> best interest of <strong>the</strong> child. The experience of The<br />
CRADLE has been that many parents take care of <strong>the</strong>ir own interests. There are also instances where fa<strong>the</strong>rs disinherit<br />
<strong>the</strong> children.<br />
• The procedure for obtaining a grant of representati<strong>on</strong> is l<strong>on</strong>g, complicated and tedious.<br />
• It is recommended that awareness is created especially of <strong>the</strong> office of <strong>the</strong> public trustee,<br />
• Amend secti<strong>on</strong> 32 of <strong>the</strong> Successi<strong>on</strong> Act<br />
• Have proper rules and regulati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> administrati<strong>on</strong> of children <strong>property</strong> and<br />
• Guardians should also provide for indemnity <strong>to</strong> cushi<strong>on</strong> children against embezzlement.<br />
Lilian’s presentati<strong>on</strong> ended at 0946hrs.<br />
Ms. Masha <strong>the</strong>n invited Hellen Jasiang’a, <strong>the</strong> field co-ordina<strong>to</strong>r of WOFAK Kayole, <strong>to</strong> make her presentati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> “challenges<br />
of <strong>OVC</strong> in acquisiti<strong>on</strong> of legal documents.” Hellen’s presentati<strong>on</strong> briefly highlighted <strong>the</strong> challenges <strong>OVC</strong>’s are facing in<br />
obtaining birth certificates and I.D. cards from <strong>the</strong> experience of WOFAK. The following issues were highlighted in Hellen’s<br />
presentati<strong>on</strong>;<br />
• WOFAK mainly counsels and gives emoti<strong>on</strong>al support <strong>to</strong> orphans, gives medical care through community clinics and<br />
pharmacy, and also refer some children <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> “lea <strong>to</strong><strong>to</strong>” programme in Kariobangi South<br />
• The key challenges that WOFAK faces in obtaining legal documentati<strong>on</strong>s for children under <strong>the</strong>ir care include lack<br />
of informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> parents’ background e.g. Home area, place of employment e.t.c., no records are kept by <strong>the</strong> parent/<br />
guardians of <strong>the</strong>ir children, lack of resources <strong>to</strong> process <strong>the</strong> documents, and <strong>the</strong> process itself is cumbersome.<br />
Hellen’s presentati<strong>on</strong> ended at 1000hrs<br />
Ms Ruth Masha of Acti<strong>on</strong> Aid Internati<strong>on</strong>al Kenya <strong>the</strong>n made <strong>the</strong> final presentati<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> sessi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> “<strong>the</strong> link between<br />
human <strong>right</strong>s violati<strong>on</strong>s and HIV- <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>text of <strong>OVC</strong>”- Ms. Masha’s presentati<strong>on</strong> summarized <strong>the</strong> following important<br />
issues.<br />
• Estimated number of orphans and vulnerable<br />
children increased from 1.8 milli<strong>on</strong> in 2004 <strong>to</strong> 2.4<br />
milli<strong>on</strong> in 2006, 48% of <strong>the</strong>se linked <strong>to</strong> HIV and<br />
AIDS.<br />
• 7 of 10 young people in Suba District in Nyanza<br />
Province know children whose parents have died<br />
from AIDS and 4 out 10 young people in Suba<br />
reported <strong>to</strong> have been sexually abused<br />
• As a result of dis-inheritance, <strong>OVC</strong>s have <strong>to</strong><br />
undergo all manner of suffering due <strong>to</strong> financial/<br />
Ms Ruth Masha of Acti<strong>on</strong> Aid Internati<strong>on</strong>al Kenya makes her presentati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
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