Beatrice Githinji is a Kenyan human rights defender (HRD) and peace ambassador, advocating for land rights. Her dedication to land rights is based on the historical injustices faced by many local communities, where land grabbing is a major, long-standing concern. “Many HRDs are losing their lives over land rights issues,” Githinji stresses. “Land is the main economic resource of people living in rural areas, and if you do not address the issues related to land rights, the chances of solving injustices are scarce.” 

Her outstanding human rights work over the past ten years has given her international recognition, as she received the ‘Ambassadors Peace Award 2017’ by the Integrated Initiatives Community Empowerment Programs (IICEP), and the ‘Women Peace Award 2018’ by Women’s Peacepower Foundation.

As a woman HRD, Githinji has faced personal injustices and reprisals. “When I started to work as a land rights defender, it was very hard for me – especially as I am a woman, and all the injustice that is attached to that.”  

In the colonial era, people were forced to leave their land, and “after independence, the government promised to give back the land that was taken away from people before, however that did not happen,” she points out. Further, she states that transformation needs to come from within: “international support is good, but changes to Kenyan policies and norms need to come from Kenya.”

In 2012, Githinji founded the Starehe Arts and Cultural Centre (SACC), a community-based organisation (CBO) aimed at empowering youths in the field of arts and creativity. Through SACC, which is a member of Grassroot Women Network, her vision is to contribute to people living in impoverished Kenyan communities, and enable them to sustain themselves by teaching and nurturing their skills. 

“What keeps me going is the hope that there will be change. We are all part of change, and […] the small efforts that we do at the community level is what will bring that change. The community teamwork will bring the change.”