EAC experts validate critical social sector policy frameworks in Nairobi

Regional experts, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and policymakers from across the East African Community (EAC) convened a high-level technical session in Nairobi.

The session successfully completed the final validation and finalisation of crucial policy documents aimed at advancing social inclusion, equitable development and youth empowerment across the eight Partner States.

The week-long meeting represented the culmination of the review process for updated frameworks on Gender Equality, Youth Empowerment, Child Rights, Social Protection and Community Development.

Participants also reviewed the Regional Strategy for Promoting Women in Business for Socio-Economic Development.

Following earlier technical consultations in Entebbe, Uganda, the validated documents are now set for submission to the 7th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on the Social Sector later this year.

The acting Director of Social Services at the EAC Secretariat Dr Dorcas Omughulu commended the participants for their commitment, noting that the meeting was a vital follow-up to the technical committee meeting in September.

She thanked the Government of Kenya for hosting and the EAC-GIZ Programme for its sustained financial and technical support.

Stephen Kibindio, an advocacy officer from Youth for Sustainable World (YSW), stressed the urgency of updating the EAC Youth Policy (2013).

"With the region’s rapidly growing youth population, it is imperative that we take a strategic and forward-looking approach not only to ensure that young people are economically empowered, but also meaningfully engaged across all social sectors and governance spaces,” he stated.

“YSW specifically called for guidelines to promote youth-friendly corners, services, and access to age-appropriate information to reduce SRHR outcomes like teenage pregnancies, GBV, and new HIV infections,” he added.

The Economic Advisor for the CSO Network, EAC-GIZ Programme Joyce Kevin Kimaro emphasised that the policy reviews are critical because many existing frameworks have reached the end of their implementation timelines.

She highlighted the necessity of updating them to reflect new and emerging issues such as Climate change, Digitalisation and Mental health.

Kimaro also underscored the need to align these frameworks with global and continental agendas, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063.

She emphasised the necessity of joint responsibility for implementation, calling on all stakeholders, governments, civil society, the private sector and development partners to play their part.

On her part, Deputy Director of Regional Integration at Kenya’s Ministry of East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Integration Mary Maisory reaffirmed the Community’s strength lying in its people and diversity.

With youth constituting 65 per cent of the EAC population and women forming the majority of the workforce, she stressed that no integration process can succeed without their meaningful participation.

She confirmed the region’s collective commitment to embedding the priorities of youth (employment, education, innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership) into the final frameworks.

Maisory urged experts to engage constructively, as the dialogue symbolises a collective will to make regional integration "more responsive, more participatory, and more human-centred."

Participants acknowledged a history of slow implementation of previous EAC policies due to limited resources. The current review aims to overcome this by developing realistic five-year implementation plans (2025–2030) that can be effectively monitored and evaluated.

These validated frameworks will be the first to integrate input from all eight EAC Partner States and will harmonise with the upcoming EAC’s 7th Development Strategy.

To improve accessibility and local ownership, the Secretariat plans to translate the final policies into Kiswahili, French, and local languages, alongside producing simplified versions for communities.