Shinning Hope for Communities (SHOFCO)’s Gender and Inclusion coastal regional team has joined hands with the County Government of Mombasa and the Judiciary to launch the Alternative Justice System (AJS) Action Plan.
The event was graced by Chief Justice Martha K. Koome and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir.
The AJS framework delivers community-level mediation in line with SHOFCO’s grassroots approach, providing people-centred justice for challenges such as land conflicts and family disputes. By prioritizing reconciliation, it also helps ease the burden on formal courts.
SHOFCO data shows that women are 60% more likely to seek justice through these community-based mechanisms, as they eliminate prohibitive legal costs and simplify court procedures that often hinder access.
The initiative was developed in collaboration with HAKI, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), and other members of the county technical working committee.
“This is a powerful step toward ensuring justice is accessible, affordable, and responsive to community needs,” said SHOFCO, reaffirming its commitment to advancing gender equality and inclusion at the grassroots level.
Chief Justice Koome championed the Judiciary’s Multi-Door Approach, designed to eliminate barriers to justice such as delays, case backlogs, and the high cost of litigation.
Central to this strategy is the Court-Annexed Mediation (CAM) programme, which has yielded impressive results since its pilot launch in 2016.
Written By Farida Ali
