Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 17.COM 6.a.15

The Committee,

  1. Having examined document LHE/22/17.COM/6.a Rev.,
  2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 4.COM 14.06, 9.COM 5.b.2 and 13.COM 7.b.6,
  3. Expresses its appreciation to Kenya for submitting, on time, its third report on the status of the element ‘Traditions and practices associated with the Kayas in the sacred forests of the Mijikenda’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
  4. Takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State Party to safeguard the element, in particular through strengthening the role of the Kaya elders, holding inter-community dialogues, engaging youth in safeguarding the element, carrying out educational and awareness-raising activities, sustaining the ecosystem of the sacred forests, supporting income-generating activities, and increasing the number of practitioners to enhance the viability of the element;
  5. Further takes note of the efforts of community members, organizations and institutions to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, by adjusting the conduct of traditional rituals and ceremonies to a reduced frequency, and holding a workshop on safeguarding culture during times of pandemic;
  6. Encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts to support the transmission of the element in collaboration with its bearers, to strengthen synergies among institutions and organizations involved in safeguarding, to engage educational institutions, and to secure environmental sustainability of the sacred forests of the Mijikenda and economic and social sustainability of Mijikenda communities;
  7. Invites the State Party to monitor the planned increase in the number of visitors to the Kayas, while seeking to maintain a balance between awareness-raising efforts and ensuring respect for customary access to the Kayas, and to address potential associated risks for safeguarding, such as the need for greater preparedness in the event of disasters;
  8. Further encourages the State Party to continue its fundraising efforts and develop synergies among various funding sources, to actively involve community representatives in decision making on funding objectives and activities, and to respond to the identified community needs to build their project implementation capacities;
  9. Recalls the importance of ensuring the active and wide participation of the communities and groups concerned in updating the safeguarding plan, and also encourages the State Party to ensure their full participation in the elaboration of future safeguarding plans and to provide, in its next report on the status of this element, an up-to-date executive summary of the report;
  10. Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2025 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.

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