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Code For Human Rights Event (C4HR)

Nairobi

Code For Human Rights Event (C4HR)

Counterterrorism efforts are essential for public safety — yet their implementation can inadvertently restrict the civic freedoms and rights of vulnerable communities. The Code for Human Rights Project empowers youth innovators to use technology to document lived realities, amplify community voices, and design people-centred digital solutions. Teams combine human rights advocacy with civic innovation to foster security approaches that are both inclusive and effective.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Technology in service of human rights

Counterterrorism efforts are essential for public safety — yet their implementation can inadvertently restrict the civic freedoms and rights of vulnerable communities. The Code for Human Rights Project empowers youth innovators to use technology to document lived realities, amplify community voices, and design people-centred digital solutions. Teams combine human rights advocacy with civic innovation to foster security approaches that are both inclusive and effective.

Document lived realities

Build tools that surface the real experiences of communities affected by counterterrorism policies

Build tools that surface the real experiences of communities affected by counterterrorism policies

Design platforms that enable grassroots participation and accountability at every level.

Innovate for inclusion

Create civic tech solutions that put people at the centre of security and governance decisions.

PROGRAMME TIMELINE

How the eight weeks unfold

  1. WK 1

    Mentor Onboarding

    A virtual meeting with the mentors was held to familiarize them with the project’s objectives, discussion themes, program and implementing team.

  2. WK 1

    WEEK 1 • LAUNCH

    Launch and Briefing

    Participants and mentors are introduced to one another and officially welcomed into the program. Participants are briefed on the project’s themes, timeline, expectations and program. Participants are then grouped into five teams of four members each in which they will develop digital solutions.

  3. WK 2-7

    WEEKS 2 – 7 • CORE HACKATHON

    Hackathon Days

    Participants attend weekly virtual learning sessions every Monday from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM EAT which will focus on digital solution development, human rights themes and innovation process. From week four onwards, teams begin developing their solutions with future sessions dedicated to mentorship, refinement and feedback.

  4. WK 8

    WEEK 8 • DEMO DAY

    Demodays and Awards

    Teams present their completed digital innovations to the Nuru Trust Network team mentors, partners and relevant stakeholders. Three winning solutions are selected to receive continued mentorship and support for further development.

Speakers

E

Enya Eworo Echeng

Chair, African Union Youth for Transitional Justice (AY4TJ)

Enya Eworo Echeng is a lawyer and development practitioner working at the intersection of transitional justice, governance, and youth inclusion across Africa. His work centres on strengthening institutional accountability, advancing human rights, and bridging continental policy frameworks with grassroots engagement.

D

Daniel Iberi

Communications Coordinator for East Africa, Afrobarometer

Daniel Iberi is the Communications coordinator for East Africa at Afrobarometer and a Strategic Communications Specialist with more than 10 years of experience in the field of communication as a consultant, trainer, and academic. Iberi’s proficiency lies in designing and implementing communication strategies, crafting impactful narratives, writing and editing, training, managing digital communication channels, overseeing websites, and coordinating projects

P

Patricia Joseph

Program Manager, Katiba Institute

Patriciah Joseph is the Programmes Manager at Katiba Institute. She is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over ten years’ post-admission experience. Her research interests include constitutionalism, constitution building especially in Africa, gender and governance, human rights, electoral justice and access to justice.

N

Nicki Kalfas

Program Associate, Global Democracy Coalition

Nicki Kalfas is an international democracy professional specializing in global coalition building, strategic communications, advocacy, and program coordination. She currently serves as Program Associate for the Global Democracy Coalition (GDC). She leads and coordinates the Coalition’s communications and advocacy infrastructure, and acts as the primary communications liaison.

D

Dr. Abdi Halkano

Senior lecturer, Egerton University

Dr. Halkano Abdi Wario is a senior lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, History, and Religion at Egerton University in Kenya. His interests encompass transnational organised crime, terrorism, and combatting violent extremism in Africa, alongside transnational religious movements, youth and politics in Africa, and the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.

C

Christine Odera

Co-Chair for the Kenya Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security (KCYPS)

Christine Odera is an advocate for youth mainstreaming, peace and security, with more than a decade of experience in alliance building, program management, policy advocacy and development. I possess a unique blend of strategic thinking and practical implementation skills

W

Wayne Gakuo

Google Developer Expert in Angular and a Senior Frontend Engineer

Wayne Gakuo is a Google Developer Expert in Angular and a Senior Frontend Engineer dedicated to mastering best practices for architecting software with a focus on scalability, maintainability, and user needs. As an Angular trainer, he also provide software engineering training, equipping professionals with the technical skills to build robust web applications using Angular.

C

Christine Odera

Co-Chair for the Kenya Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security (KCYPS)

Christine Odera is an advocate for youth mainstreaming, peace and security, with more than a decade of experience in alliance building, program management, policy advocacy and development. I possess a unique blend of strategic thinking and practical implementation skills.

Five Communities. Five Problems. Infinite Solutions.

Challenge tracks

Participants will work in 5 teams of 4 members each to design practical civic tech solutions that are built to respond to Human Rights challenges in counter terrorism contexts. Across the Hackathon the teams will be tasked with research, prototype development then pitching tools that promote accountability, civic participation and community protection.

01

Kilifi

Kilifi Silent Coast

Design a community-owned early warning system for youth radicalisation that is preventive, not punitive.

KuzuiaApp — An anonymous community reporting platform with SMS + USSD access and trusted elder verification layer

02

Wajir

Bridging Elders & Youth

Create a platform that respects traditional elder authority while integrating youth digital tools for CVE dialogue.

GeesTech — A structured intergenerational dialogue platform connecting elder councils with youth social media monitoring.

03

Baringo

Climate, Conflict & Cattle

Build a tool for communities to document and communicate the climate-security nexus to policymakers.

Ngo’Data — A community-led geo-mapping tool to record resource clashes, rainfall data, and submit evidence briefs to county officials

04

Marsabit

Women as Security Actors

Create a safe, culturally appropriate channel for women to report radicalisation clues without facing backlash.

SirriSalama — A women-only voice-note reporting system with WhatsApp integration, offline capability, and trained community handlers

05

Isiolo

Rights Without Resources

Build an accessible tool translating constitutional economic rights (Article 43) into actionable daily information for youth.

Haki Yangu — A rights information chatbot in Borana, Somali & Swahili delivering bursary, job, and entitlement info via SMS and WhatsApp.

Key points

Sauti Stack incubation

Entry into Nuru Trust’s flagship incubation programme for winning teams

Continued mentorship

Ongoing technical and strategic support to take your solution further

Regional competition

Compete at the Accountability Lab East & Southern Africa regional hackathon

Partnerships & visibility

Winning solutions featured and promoted across Nuru Trust’s regional network

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