School of Law Launches Child Justice Moot Court Competition To Champion Children s' Rights
By Victor Baraka
Initiative brings together judicial officers, legal scholars, students and child protection stakeholders to advance children’s rights and access to justice.
At the heart of the fight for children’s rights, Chuka University’s School of Law has launched its Child Justice Moot Court Competition, bringing together judicial officers, law students, university leaders and child protection stakeholders to champion child-sensitive justice and strengthen legal advocacy for children’s protection and welfare.
The launch, held during Child Justice Week, on Thursday 8th october 2026, was organised by the University’s school of Law in association with the Wakili wa Watoto Club. The initiative combines legal education, advocacy and community engagement to address challenges affecting children and their access to justice.
In the address delivered on behalf of the Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Martha Koome, EGH, the Speaker, Chuka High Court Judge Hon. Lady Justice Roselyne Lagat Korir, underscored the need to place children’s welfare at the centre of judicial processes and development policies. She highlighted how climate change, poverty and social inequality expose children to risks affecting their health, education, safety and overall well-being. Flooding and drought, for instance, can displace families and disrupt children’s education, while water scarcity places additional burdens on rural communities, particularly women and children. The address also drew attention to sexual and gender-based violence and the trafficking of children for sexual exploitation.
The judiciary was urged to strengthen child-friendly and trauma-informed court processes that recognise children’s needs and experiences, with reference made to Article 53 of the Constitution of Kenya and the Children Act, 2022, which provide a framework for protecting children’s rights. The address also emphasised collaboration between universities, the judiciary and child protection organisations, noting that the judiciary had dedicated November to child justice and encouraging stakeholders to participate in related activities.
The competition was officially launched by Hon. Lady Justice Roselyne Lagat-Korir, Presiding Judge of the Chuka High Court, who emphasised the importance of partnerships between judicial officers, universities and child protection stakeholders in advancing child justice.
She welcomed the participation of students from other institutions, including Moi University and Kabarak University, noting that interaction among different institutions provides opportunities to exchange perspectives and enrich legal education. She also affirmed the Chuka Law Courts’ openness to partnerships that advance child justice.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic, Research and Student Affairs, Prof. Gilbert Mbaka Nduru, welcomed the participating institutions and commended the initiative. He highlighted the importance of quality legal education and connected environmental challenges to justice concerns affecting children.
The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Wycliffe Nyachoti Otiso, said the event offered an important platform to reflect on children’s rights and the legal profession’s responsibility to pursue justice on their behalf. He welcomed the judges, magistrates, students, lecturers, partners and other guests, emphasising the value of practical platforms that enable students to demonstrate their legal knowledge, advocacy skills and understanding of the justice system.
Joy Kananu, Chair of the Organising Committee, also welcomed the participating institutions, partners and guests, thanking them for supporting the initiative and contributing to its activities and goals.
National Council for Children’s Services (NCCS) Chief Executive Officer Abdinoor Sheikh Mohamed highlighted the Council’s coordinating and oversight role in the delivery of children’s services in Kenya, emphasising the need to strengthen child protection systems amid emerging challenges. He noted that climate change poses a growing threat to children’s rights, with floods, droughts and other extreme weather events disrupting access to education, healthcare, food and safe shelter. These challenges often expose children to increased risks of abuse, exploitation, neglect and displacement, particularly in vulnerable communities. He underscored the importance of coordinated efforts among government agencies, educational institutions and child protection organisations to safeguard children’s welfare and ensure their rights remain protected, even in the face of climate-related emergencies.
In remarks delivered on behalf of the CEO, of the National Council for Law Reporting Madam Janet Munywoki, the Council commended the University for organising the competition, describing it as timely. She highlighted the Council’s role in providing legal information to support the administration of justice and the development of law.
As part of its support for the initiative, the Council offered a Kenya Law journal to the winning team and internship opportunities for the best male and female researchers, underscoring the importance of legal research in strengthening justice systems.
Vittorio Nigrelli, Sub-Saharan Business Development Specialist at Young Ethical Intelligence, also addressed the gathering. He highlighted the importance of sound judgement and collaboration in decision-making, particularly when individuals face pressure. He further encouraged participants to examine their assumptions, personal perspectives and originality when using artificial intelligence.
Beyond the moot court competition, Child Justice Week features legal awareness activities and community engagement designed to promote understanding of children’s rights and protection.
Participating institutions included Daystar University, Embu University and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). The programme also received support from partners, including UNICEF, the Judiciary and the Child Justice and Mediation Coordination Committee (CJMCC).
Through the Child Justice Moot Court Competition and the wider week's activities, Chuka University continues to provide a platform for legal education, public awareness and collaboration on children's rights and child justice.
The initiative reinforces the importance of preparing future legal practitioners to respond to the challenges children face and ensuring that their rights remain central to legal practice, public policy and community engagement.Initiative brings together judicial officers, legal scholars, students and child protection stakeholders to advance children’s rights and access to justice.
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