In this report, we examine the increase in gender-based violence (GBV) in Mathare following the April–May 2024 floods and forced evictions. The research, conducted using participatory action research methods reveals that 60% of respondents believe GBV is rising, with one in five experiencing or witnessing it directly. We link this surge to government-driven demolitions and displacement, economic hardship, destruction of sanitation facilities, increased drug use, and overall insecurity exacerbated by the government's violent response. We highlight that GBV cases are underreported due to stigma and ineffective police desks, and that the community's understanding of GBV is limited. We conclude with recommendations for community-led interventions such as education, mental health support, addressing drug abuse, engaging local leaders, and promoting community policing, alongside demands for government accountability, compensation for displaced residents, provision of essential services, and protection of the community.

In this participatory action research report, Mathare residents outline our environmental challenges and vision for a greener community. Our environment, currently characterized by garbage, sewage, and heat, significantly impacts our health, safety, and livelihoods. We are on the frontlines of environmental and climate injustices in Nairobi, experiencing frequent flooding, air pollution, and heat stress. We detail a history of environmental degradation in Mathare Valley due to rapid, informal urbanization and inadequate government services.

Through community dialogues held in February 2023, we, alongside various neighborhood-based environmental groups, diagnosed key issues like contaminated water, poor sanitation, and food insecurity, exacerbated by a lack of basic infrastructure. We have taken direct action through waste collection, urban farming, and tree planting, but these efforts are limited by scarce resources, corruption, and a lack of awareness and engagement. We propose co-planning with local government, engaging all community stakeholders, educating our youth, improving waste management, and planting more trees. Our vision is a clean, healthy, and safe Mathare, and we call on our elected representatives to invest in sustainable solutions and ensure our voices are at the center of planning.

A participatory action research report that builds on MSJC's 2017 report "Who Is Next?" It details the ongoing struggle against extrajudicial killings, arbitrary killings, and enforced disappearances by police in Mathare between 2019 and 2021.

We highlight progress in community-led documentation, the formation of the Mothers of Victims and Survivors Network, and advancements in legal processes with support from partner organizations. Despite these efforts, police brutality persists, with officers using unmarked vehicles and operating with impunity. We outline numerous challenges to accessing justice, including witness intimidation, evidence tampering, and a lack of accountability for police misconduct. We also offer recommendations for reform, such as strengthening witness protection and implementing the National Coroners Service Act (2017). Finally, we emphasize the resilience of the community in resisting police violence and advocating for their rights.