Joy Awich is a dedicated bilingual human rights lawyer and an upcoming Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with keen interests and experience in the enforcement and implementation of women’s rights, gender equality, Human Rights Law, development, leadership, International Law, the protection of the rule of law, policy-making and effective implementation. She possesses an LLB from Strathmore University and is currently pursuing a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law at the Kenya School of Law.

She has a bias in the advancement human rights programmes in French Speaking African countries and thus has reviewed, edited and analysed French comparative research papers and articles from lawyers in francophone Africa on national, regional and international women and girls’ rights for publishing to enhance collaborative thought to advance effective implementation. Further, she has engaged media personnel in Francophone West Africa to share in collaborative advocacy efforts against ending FGM in West Africa.

In Kenya, she has conducted policy research for law reform with the Hon. Lady Chief Justice Martha Koome, Office of the Attorney General, relevant stakeholders and partners on laws governing; matrimonial property rights, sexual offences and domestic violence for the benefit of Kenyan women. Joy Awich has also conducted trainings for legal enforcers on effectively handling sexual gender based violence cases while sourcing for landmark cases with the potential of creating strong jurisprudence in higher courts.

She has worked with the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya), Equality Now, the East African Community, Africa Early Childhood Network and the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (the UN Refugee Agency).