Initiative For Equality & Non Discrimination-INEND

We are so proud to share with you our 2025 Annual Report, Growing Our Ground, a living document of everything we planted, tended, and harvested together this past year. In a year of hostile narratives, funding shifts, and anti-rights movements convening on our soil, INEND chose not to hunker down. We chose to plant deeper. Before the numbers, before the programmes, before the impact, there is a vision. And our Board Chair, Diana Gichengo, holds it with both hands."INEND was not built to exist only when conditions were favourable. We were built precisely for moments like this." Essy Adhiambo, INEND Executive Director explains why Growing Our Ground is important : "Land is political. For queer Kenyans, owning land, or even inheriting it, remains a radical act. Succession systems exclude us. Blood families disown and disinherit us." But the weather is temporary, and the garden is not. Thus, our 2025 Annual Report, Growing Our Ground, is here: single-issue lives.” But the weather is temporary and the garden is not. Thus, our 2025 Annual Report, Growing Our Ground, is here: tr.ee/sZxqPuQthh #GrowingOurGround #INEND2025

Today, we celebrate The Courage to Live Authentically by Honoring those who exist beautifully in spaces that may not yet understand them.We recognise that family is, ultimately, love that behaves like responsibility.We Celebrate the village elders, mothers, aunts,siblings and allies who choose love even while they are still learning. As we advance social inclusion and human rights, let us remember that family diversity is our strength. No one should have to explain their life to be worthy of love.Whether you are a queer parent, an ally, or a chosen family member ,you are family. Let us continue to create spaces where every joy is witnessed, every grief is carried, and every future is imagined as something worth protecting. Sisi Ni Jamii #WeAreFamily #InternationalDayOfFamilies #FamilyDiversity #AfricanFamilies #DignifiedLives

Reclaiming The Radical Power of Family Today, May 15th, we join the world in celebrating the International Day of Families. At the heart of the #SisiNiJamii campaign, we are doing more than just observing a date,we are reclaiming what family truly means. Family has never been just about bloodlines or legal documents. It is a movement rooted in justice, Love,care and the radical act of choosing one another again and again. True inclusivity means recognizing that families are built in the ordinary acts that become extraordinary over time. It is the courage to stay when it would be easier to leave, and the grace of speaking a loved one's name with care even when the world mispronounces it. To our queer siblings, family is often the one we build,the one that affirms us and holds us without conditions. #WeAreFamily #InternationalDayOfFamilies #FamilyDiversity #AfricanFamilies #DignifiedLives

As we mark the International Week of Families, we invite you to celebrate with us through #SisiNiJamii campaign by Initiative for Equality and Non Discrimination (INEND) , @for_coast , and @pemakenya This week, we are amplifying voices from blood families, chosen families, LGBTIQ+ parents, siblings, friends, and allies, all united by one belief: that every family deserves dignity, recognition, and the freedom to thrive. #SisiNiJamii #InternationalFamiliesDay #HumanRights #Inclusion #FamilyDiversity See less

Queering The Ballot II Episode 3 Out Now!🎙️ This #IDAHOBIT week, under the theme “At the Heart of Democracy”, we’re unpacking how media shapes public perception, political participation and whose voices are recognised in democratic spaces. This episode explores how traditional and non-traditional media influence LGBTIQ+ visibility and engagement in democratic processes from election coverage to everyday political discourse and what that means for representation, power and belonging. Watch Rhe Full EP here:youtu.be/oL-T9HBQSLI?si… Moderated by Linda Pepper (She/Her), this episode features Ngare Kariuki (He/Him) alongside Zaha Indimuli (She/Her). 📍 Location: Queer African Network 🎥 Shot by: Receptive Media QTB II Podcast, a project by @INENDorg @galckplus , @NGLHRC Watch the full EP here:rVoteOurFuture

@RadioGenKe @lady_Mathai Access to safe abortion Is Healthcare. It is a basic human right!

Protesters are calling for the legalization of abortion in Kenya. What’s your opinion? @lady_Mathai #ThePowerDrive #HomeOfHardTruths

The operationalisation of the Public Benefit Organizations (PBO) Act, 2013, on 14 May 2024, marked a historic shift in Kenya’s civil society landscape. Replacing the NGO Coordination Act, the PBO framework emphasises accountability, transparency, and alignment with constitutional values. By 14 May 2026, all organisations, including community-based groups and self-help associations, must transition into compliance. For LGBTIQ+ organisations, this transition is both urgent and strategic. Anchored in constitutional protections under Article 36 (freedom of association) and Article 27 (equality and non-discrimination), and reinforced by jurisprudence such as NGO Coordination Board v EG & 4 others, the PBO Act provides a stronger legal foundation for inclusive organising. It offers opportunities for legitimacy, financial incentives (including tax exemptions), access to government funding and procurement, and formal participation in policy processes. However, challenges remain. Compliance requirements such as annual reporting, financial accountability, and governance standards pose significant burdens, particularly for grassroots groups with limited technical capacity. Persistent stigma and socio-political risks may also affect how regulations are applied in practice, exposing organisations to scrutiny or exclusion. The PBO Act is not merely a compliance exercise; it is an opportunity to consolidate recognition, strengthen resilience, and expand the influence of LGBTIQ+ organising in Kenya’s democratic space. By leveraging this framework, organisations can ensure sustainability, visibility, and meaningful participation in shaping inclusive governance. POLICY ADVISORY HERE:inend.org/policy-advisor… #ProtectingOurSpace #JusticeForAll #PBOACT2013 #LGBTIQKenya #INEND

Reshaping Narratives: Portrayal of LGBTIQ+ Kenyans in Democratic Processes The media says we need balance. But there is no 'other side' to our humanity. This episode on Queering The Ballot II podcast confronts an uncomfortable truth of queer voices being treated as optional,or worse, as problems requiring an 'opposing' viewpoint. Globally, 51 countries have documented politicians using homophobia and transphobia as electoral tools, according to a recent research by Outright International. In Kenya, we have watched candidates focus on who we love instead of the cost of living and on our existence instead of corruption and other social issues that the country is grappling with. Social media and independent platforms are giving us space to own our stories. The media "balances" our humanity with hate, and we must build alternatives. Our vote.Our future. Our narrative. Watch The Full playlist of Queering The Ballot II here:youtube.com/playlist... #QueeringTheBallot #OurVoteOurFuture #Kenya2027

History has been made. Botswana has officially removed colonial-era laws that criminalised same-sex relations, finalising a journey toward justice that began with the landmark 2019 High Court ruling. The court affirmed that sexual orientation is an essential attribute of personality. Removing these laws dismantles barriers to healthcare and strengthens HIV prevention efforts. Botswana joins Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Seychelles in setting a powerful precedent for LGBTQI+ rights across the African continent. To every Queer Motswana,we stand with you in joy and pride. Today, we celebrate the shared belief that every person deserves to live freely and love openly. #Botswana #LGBTIQHumanRights #Celebration #LGBTIQSolidarity

This is what movement power looks like. Kenya’s queer communities are not waiting for permission, they’re organizing, strategizing, and claiming political space ahead of 2027. History in motion. #OurVoteOurFuture #HumanRightsDay #FeministSolidarity #FeministFutures #UDHR

The Court allowed an appeal against a High Court judgment that had quashed the criminal prosecution of a minor (PAK) and a healthcare provider (Salim Mohamed).The Court’s decision was primarily procedural, centering on the "rare" circumstances under which a superior court should stop ongoing criminal proceedings. #reproductiverights #abortionisahumanright #abortionishealthcare #MyBodyMyChoice

The recent judgment by the Court of Appeal at Malindi in Civil Appeal No. E029 of 2022 (delivered April 24, 2026) has sparked significant conversation regarding reproductive rights and the rule of law in Kenya. It is vital to look beyond the headlines to understand the legal reality of this decision.So what exactly was the ruling all about? #reproductiverights #abortionisahumanright #abortionishealthcare #MyBodyMyChoice