[1] The organisation's mission is to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Kenya and across Africa through the application of legal expertise and international best practices.
ICJ Kenya's objectives as guided by its constitution include; to develop, strengthen and protect the principles of the rule of law; to develop, maintain, strengthen the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession; to promote and protect the enjoyment of human rights as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 and all other subsequent international and regional covenants, treaties and protocols on the protection and promotion of human rights, by every person in Kenya; to keep under review all aspects of the rule of law and human rights with the republic of Kenya and to take such action as will be of assistance in promoting or ensuring their enjoyment; to promote the provision of legal services in rural areas, to cooperate with any national or international body, which pursues objects similar to or compatible with the aforesaid objects.
[6] In partnership with other civil society groups in the region, ICJ Kenya published a report on "Counterterrorism and Human Rights Abuses in Kenya and Uganda: The World Cup Bombing and Beyond" (2012) on the response to the 2010 bombings in Kampala,[7] and instigated a court action against the Kenyan government in 2013 on behalf of victims of sexual violence following the 2007 general elections, alleging failure to protect them or investigate the crimes committed against them.
The members pursue the body's work through a permanent secretariat where a professional team of full-time lawyers is in charge of programmatic activities under the oversight of the elected council.
Through its International Cooperation Programme, ICJ Kenya also works across Africa to support the development of effective institutions of governance and accountability.