Ann Njogu

Ann Njogu in 2010

Ann Njogu is a Kenyan activist.^[1] In 2010, she was the director of the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness, which among other things documented sexual- and gender-based violence after the Kenyan general election in December 2007.^[2] She was also a drafter of and lobbyist for Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act, which became law in 2006.^[1][3][4]

Background

In addition to her work on sexual and gender violence, Njogu was the Co-Chair of the Multi-Sectoral Committee on Constitutional Reform, the Co-Chair of the Joint Dialogue Forum on Constitutional Reform, and a delegate to the Bomas National Conference on Constitutional Reforms.^[1] In 2007, she was attacked and arrested by state security forces for demanding that Members of Parliament review their salaries, which were very large despite Kenya's poverty.^[1] She and the others who were arrested filed a Constitutional reference popularly known as "Ann Njogu and others versus the State," which was successful in limiting the time a Kenyan citizen could be held in custody to 24 hours.^[1] In 2008, she was a co-convenor of the Civil Society Congress, which worked to improve politics after the violence in the wake of the December 2007 Kenyan elections.^[5]

In 2008 she was beaten and sexually molested by the police when they arrested her and others for suggesting corruption might have occurred in the sale of the Grand Regency Hotel.^[6][1]

Njogu received a 2010 International Women of Courage award.^[1]

In 2012 she and her son were charged with assaulting her father but in 2013 they was acquitted.^[7]

References