In a historic court battle initiated in 2011, Transgender Education and Advocacy (TEA) is handed a landmark victory in Kenya’s high court.

After being denied the right to register as an NGO, the organization working for transgender rights sued the Kenyan NGO Coordination Board for discrimination and violation of their fundamental human rights. The group had previously been denied permission to register by the Kenyan NGO Coordination Board because three transgender women listed in the application; Audrey Mbugua, Maureen Muia, and Annet Jennifer, did not have names that “reflected their gender”. 

In his ruling, Justice George Odunga stated that in failing to register TEA, the Kenyan NGO Coordination Board had acted in a manner that was “unfair, unreasonable, unjustified and in breach of rules of natural justice.” The Kenyan NGO Coordination Board was ordered to register TEA with immediate effect from this date.