National Chairperson for Wakili wa Watoto, Belinda Mwende, has raised concern over growing violations of children’s rights in Kenya, warning that fear, stigma, weak reporting systems and online exploitation are leaving many children vulnerable.
Speaking on Friday during a Radio Generation interview, Mwende said children often suffer in silence because they do not know their rights or fear speaking out.
The lawyer stated that many children remain unaware of their rights and often fail to recognize when those rights are being violated.
“One thing is, many children do not know when their rights are being violated. Secondly, they do not know when to report when these rights are violated.”
Mwende noted that Wakili wa Watoto, a child justice initiative established in law schools across Kenya, works closely with children in schools, institutions and juvenile rehabilitation centres to help them understand their rights and navigate the justice system.
She said one of the biggest concerns among children in conflict with the law is stigma and fear of rejection after reintegration into society.
“When I go back to society, how are they going to perceive me?” she posed, while explaining concerns frequently raised by affected children.
Mwende hghlighted that many children are also afraid of speaking out because they fear punishment or disbelief from adults around them.
“Children are afraid of speaking up because they fear not being believed or being punished for speaking up,” she said.
To encourage openness, she explained that Wakili wa Watoto creates safe and confidential spaces where children can share their concerns anonymously.
The child rights advocate further warned that technology and social media have introduced new forms of abuse targeting children, saying many parents are struggling to keep pace with the rapidly evolving digital environment.
“The digital space should be regulated in such a way that it is designed and governed responsibly for children,” she noted.
Wakili Wa Watoto Chairperson highlighted online exploitation, cyberbullying and privacy violations among the emerging threats affecting children, adding that the justice system is now increasingly focusing on digital rights and artificial intelligence governance.
https://x.com/RadioGenKe/status/2052631930017919413?s=20
She pointed to efforts by judicial stakeholders to address online child exploitation through specialized training and policy development.
According to the lawyer, Kenya’s justice system has made progress in promoting access to justice for children through coordinated approaches involving courts, lawyers, counsellors and child protection agencies.
However, she insisted that more still needs to be done.
“We have seen great work from them, but more needs to be done. It can never be enough, especially for children,” she said.
Mwende argued that many challenges facing children stem from broader systemic failures rather than the children themselves.
“Kenya does not have a children problem. It has a systems problem,” she stated.
She cited delayed court processes, inadequate legal representation and poor coordination between institutions as some of the barriers affecting justice for children.
The law student also called on parents and guardians to play a more active role in child protection, describing them as the “first line of protection” for children.
“Child protection cannot be left to schools and government and courts alone,” she said.
Mwende acknowledged that parenting today has become more complicated due to changing social realities and technological influence, saying parents also need support and awareness to respond effectively to modern risks affecting children.
“The risks that children face today are different,” she said, noting that abuse now exists both offline and online.
She further emphasized the importance of rebuilding trust between children, parents, schools and communities, warning that unresolved trauma within families often affects children deeply.
“How we treat a child is at the heart of society’s future,” she said.
Mwende expressed optimism that Wakili wa Watoto’s expansion across Kenyan law schools will help increase the number of lawyers willing to handle child-related cases, many of which are often neglected because they are viewed as less financially rewarding.
The initiative currently operates in 11 universities and involves hundreds of law students advocating for children’s rights, legal awareness and policy reforms across the country.
“I want to say I’ll do it until the day I die,” Mwende concluded of her commitment to child justice advocacy.