New report stresses how and why states must reform gender discriminatory nationality laws
Across all four countries analysed, the report finds that those who have been or are most affected are women from disadvantaged groups such as ethnic minority women, or those of lower socio-economic status.
The Equal Rights Trust have launched a report focusing on the devastating impact of discriminatory nationality laws in Madagascar and Nepal. It highlights how, in some countries with such laws, women are not able to pass on citizenship to their children and identifies the myriad problems that result from this.
The report, My Children’s Future: Ending Discrimination in Nationality Laws also discusses the positive impact of law reform in Indonesia and Kenya, which have recently adopted gender neutral nationality laws, and analyses the persisting barriers to citizenship equality in these countries.
“In worst case scenarios, discriminatory nationality laws can cause statelessness, where fathers are stateless themselves, or are unable or unwilling to confer their nationality on their children. Without nationality a person is prevented from enjoying their basic human rights, such as equal access to education, healthcare, jobs and housing. Such a person is unable to move across borders and is left doubting their belonging and identity,” said Executive Director of the Equal Rights Trust, Dr Dimitrina Petrova.
She continued, “There are currently 27 countries around the world which do not allow women to pass on their nationality onto their children. We hope this report will not only raise awareness on the severe human cost of such laws but will allow these countries to learn from the reform experience of others.”
Across all four countries analysed, the report finds that those who have been or are most affected are women from disadvantaged groups such as ethnic minority women, or those of lower socio-economic status, whose multiple disadvantage defines their whole lives and who are left in a state of anguish about their children’s future.
For further information including interview with Equal Rights Trust Executive Director please contact [email protected] / +44(0)7732 819 400.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Equal Rights Trust is an independent international organisation whose purpose is to combat discrimination and advance equality worldwide. The Trust promotes a unified human rights framework on equality, focusing on the complex relationships between different types of disadvantage and developing strategies for translating the principles of equality into practice. The Trust currently works in over 40 countries, pursuing its objectives through advocacy, litigation, development of resources, and movement building. www.equalrightstrust.org
The Equal Rights Trust, the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, UNHCR, UN Women and the Women’s Refugee Commission form a steering committee of the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights which focuses on eliminating gender discrimination in nationality laws. Each member brings its comparative advantage to the Campaign and focuses on building a wider coalition of interested stakeholders, including UN agencies, international, regional and local NGOs, academics and civil society partners. equalnationalityrights.org.