Good international citizenship and the protection of internally displaced persons: examining Kenya’s law and policy

Abstract

Good international citizenship is traditionally associated with the practices of Western democracies but is also increasingly relevant to non-Western states that seek to promote human rights on the basis of sovereignty and non-interference. Such approach has important implications for how non-Western states devise their own national laws and policies. To examine such implications, this article analyses Kenya’s framework for protecting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Kenya’s standing as good international citizen has facilitated the formation of a comprehensive national IDP framework that has allowed Kenya to emerge as a leading state in the protection of the right not to be arbitrarily displaced. Despite such progress, the consolidation of Kenya’s IDP framework also depends upon effective implementation and commitment to regional conventions.