Family Law in a Changing World: Riara University Student Symposium 2025
Date: Monday, September 1, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM
Venue: Room G/15, Riara University
Co-hosted by: Riara Law School & International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)
About the Symposium
Family law, both in Kenya and globally, is evolving in response to a complex landscape shaped by climate change, shifting family structures, emerging technologies, and new societal needs. In light of these changes, Riara University, in partnership with the International Academy of Family Lawyers, is proud to host the Student Symposium on Family Law in a Changing World.
This one-day symposium will serve as a dynamic platform for law students to present their research, engage with legal scholars and practitioners, and discuss how family law can respond to today’s most pressing challenges. It seeks to bridge the gap between academic inquiry and real-world policy by converting scholarly insights into actionable policy briefs and sparking roundtable dialogue.
Key Themes
Participants will engage with a wide range of contemporary issues at the intersection of family law and societal transformation, including:
- Health and Family: Legal frameworks around reproductive and mental health within the family unit
- Child Participation: Ensuring children’s voices are meaningfully considered in legal processes
- Climate Action and the Family: Impacts of climate change on family dynamics, displacement, and access to resources
- Technology and Innovation: Digital transformation in family law processes and implications for family life
- Gender-Based Violence (GBV): Legal and policy approaches to addressing and preventing GBV within families
- Education and Family Law: Legal disputes around education access and equity
- Culture and Tradition: Balancing traditional practices with legal and human rights standards
- Alternative Justice Systems: The role of mediation, arbitration, and indigenous justice in family law
- Extra-Judicial Resolutions: Community-based and innovative methods of resolving family disputes
- International Family Law: Cross-border family law issues and opportunities for global legal cooperation
Who Will Attend
This symposium will bring together students, legal academics, practicing lawyers, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders who are passionate about shaping the future of family law in Kenya and beyond.
Why Attend?
- Discover emerging trends and debates in family law
- Network with local and international experts in legal practice and policy
- Gain practical experience in transforming research into impactful policy recommendations
- Contribute to building a legal framework that is inclusive, innovative, and responsive to today’s family realities
Join us on September 1, 2025, at Riara University for a transformative day of legal scholarship, discussion, and collaboration. Together, let’s reimagine the future of family law.
