E/C.12/KEN/CO/2-5
law enforcement officials and judges on the application of the Act and awarenessraising campaigns for the public.
Female genital mutilation
39.
The Committee remains concerned that, despite the fact that female genital
mutilation tends to be gradually decreasing, it is still rampant, particularly in the North
Eastern region, where the prevalence rate is 97.5 per cent, and that the perpetrators are
rarely convicted and punished under the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act
(art. 10).
40.
The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to prevent
and eradicate female genital mutilation and other harmful traditional practices, by
strengthening the enforcement of relevant legislation and enhancing awarenessraising campaigns on the negative impact of female genital mutilation, particularly at
the community level, with a view to abandoning the practice.
Poverty
41.
The Committee is concerned at the high percentage of people living under the
poverty line and the failure of the State party to significantly reduce the poverty rate
(art. 11).
42.
The Committee recommends that the State party intensify its efforts to
eradicate poverty, including through the comprehensive analysis of the needs of the
most disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups and adoption of
concrete and targeted measures to address them.
Adequate food and malnutrition
43.
The Committee is concerned at the prevalence of chronic malnutrition and the high
level of stunting, particularly among children and those living in arid and semi-arid areas
(art. 11).
44.
The Committee recommends that the State party take the steps necessary to
address chronic food insecurity, chronic malnutrition and the critical nutritional
needs of children, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas, including the adoption of a
national action plan on food security and nutrition in line with the Committee’s
general comment No. 12 (1999) on the right to adequate food and the 2004 Voluntary
Guidelines to support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the
context of national food security.
Right to housing
45.
The Committee is concerned at the lack of effective measures to provide social
housing for low-income families, at the large proportion of the population living in
informal settlements in poor living conditions with limited access to basic services,
including water and sanitation, health care and education (art. 11).
46.
The Committee recommends that the State party take all the measures
necessary to provide affordable social housing units for low-income families and to
improve living conditions in informal settlements, including through the adoption of
the Housing Act, the Community Land Bill and the National Slum Upgrading and
Prevention Policy, and allocate sufficient budgetary resources to ensure the
implementation of such measures.
7