Janice Muchemi, the advocate who won the Scottish Bar International Human Rights AwardA Kenyan advocate has won the Scottish Bar International Human Rights Award for fighting for human rights and representing victims of sexual offences.
Janet Muchemi was presented with the award on Wednesday at Edinburgh, Scotland, by the Faculty of Advocates, an independent body of Scottish advocates.
Muchemi trumped 39 other applicants from North, Central and South America, East and South Asia, Oceania, Africa and Europe to scoop the award.
The applicants included lawyers, journalists, youth activists, and artists, some working in their own countries while others were living in exile.
Lord Bonomy, the chairperson of the selection panel, said Muchemi stood out from the other applicants for representing victims of violence against women and children, and victims of police abuse of power through the criminal justice system.
“But her work is not confined to the courts. She also promotes reforms to policy and practice to accommodate the plight of victims and is engaged in advocacy programmes to promote awareness of victims’ rights so as to protect the poorest and most vulnerable members of society against abuse,” he said.
While presenting the award, Lord Bonomy said human rights lawyers and defenders play a vital role as more people continue to live in countries with a weakened rule of law.
Muchemi was admitted to the bar in 2015 before joining the International Justice Mission Kenya, where she has been actively engaging in litigation practice.
She has represented numerous sexual offence survivors and was among the team of lawyers representing IJM and families in the murder case of lawyer Willie Kimani, who was killed in 2016 alongside his client Josephat Mwenda and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri in Mavoko, Machakos.
In 2022, three police officers, Fredrick leliman, Stephen Cheburet and Silvia Wanjiku, and a civilian informant, Peter Ngugi were sentenced to varying jail terms for the murder.
While accepting the award, Muchemi said she was deeply honoured to be this year’s recipient of the award, commending the Faculty for organising an insightful programme that allowed her to engage with other passionate experts working in the human rights sector.
“Each of these experiences has been transformative. I leave Edinburgh with a fresh perspective on what a responsive and people-centred justice system can look like”.
“My hope is renewed. The knowledge, encouragement, and inspiration I have received here will go a long way in strengthening our mission to reform the justice system in Kenya, so that it serves and protects, regardless of socio-economic status,” she said.
Shelagh McCall, a senior counsel, said the award is a chance to recognise colleagues working in far more difficult circumstances.
“Here in Scotland, we can become complacent about what it means to work to protect human rights….She is a worthy recipient and we’re pleased to stand at her side in support of her work”.
The award was established in 2018 by the Faculty of Advocates to honour individuals who champion human rights under challenging circumstances.
