A recent report on the status of children in the justice system in Kenya identified lack of specific budget allocation for children as one of the challenges hindering administration of justice for children in the country.
The report, dubbed the Report on Budgeting for Children in the Justice System in Kenya, which was informed by The Children Act No. 29 of 2022, shows that during the 2020/2021 fiscal year, the government allocated Sh 148.9 billion to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and only 2% of that, which is equivalent to Sh 2.85 billion, was set for children.
Despite this, according to the report, there is a need to invest in Child Justice Systems since violations of children's rights or violence against children have adverse consequences on health outcomes and health risk behaviour, such as drug and substance abuse and promiscuity leading to sexually transmitted infections as well as a myriad of mental health problems, all of which are associated with the subsequent penetration of violence.
According to the report, in Kenya the prevalence of mental distress and suicidal ideation among females who experienced childhood violence is 77% and 41%, respectively; hence, the burden of violence against children has measurable effects on the country's social, health and economic outcomes as a result of mortality and physical and emotional disability.
