By Nankali Maksud, Senior Adviser, Child Protection & Migration, UNICEF, and Bhaskar Mishra, Global Technical Lead, Civil Registration and Legal Identity, UNICEF Africa Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day 2026 comes at an important moment for the continent. As Africa […]
Kampala, Uganda | URN | Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Olara Otunnu says he has forgiven the Ugandan government for what he describes as years of mistreatment that left him stateless after authorities allegedly refused to renew his Ugandan passport. Otunnu, […]
by Kirstie Kwarteng Highlights West African governments are offering citizenship to descendants of enslaved Africans and other diaspora members as both a symbolic act of reparative justice and a practical strategy to attract investment, skills, and tourism. Benin, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, […]
A civil society activist has called on the Government of South Sudan to provide free nationality identification cards to rural communities ahead of the country’s December 2026 general elections. Wodcan Saviour, the Executive Director of Support Peace Initiative Development Organization […]
3 August 2026 – Somalia’s Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji has formally renounced his Kenyan citizenship and surrendered his Kenyan passport, becoming the first senior government official to comply with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s directive requiring ministers holding […]
By Joseph Zulu MBABANE – There is a reported increase in statelessness in the country. This refers to individuals living without a nationality, leaving them unable to fully participate in society or access basic services. While the issue is often […]
‘Jus soli’ gives anyone born on Mozambican soil effective citizenship and the rights associated with it This essay was written by Kamaro Christian courtesy of The Global Movement Against Statelessness (GMAS), a content partner of Global Voices. This post is […]
(17367/2022) [2026] ZAWCHC 381 (29 July 2026) 1. It is declared that the failure or refusal by the respondents, or either of them, or by officials of the Department of Home Affairs (Department), to receive, process and determine an application […]
On 29 July 2026, a full bench of the Western Cape High Court handed down a significant judgment that removes longstanding barriers to birth registration in South Africa. In Cirangashane and Others v Director General of the Department of Home […]
By Memoscar Lasuba The Government of South Sudan is preparing to overhaul its civil registration system by introducing a nationwide digital registry that will transfer the issuance of birth certificates from hospitals to the Directorate of Civil Registry, Nationality, Passports […]
South Sudan’s identification ecosystem remains severely underdeveloped, limiting individuals’ access to services, economic opportunities, and formal participation. An estimated 90 percent of the population lacks identification, creating barriers to financial inclusion, education, and employment, while undermining service delivery efficiency and […]
Synopsis Nearly 90% of people in South Sudan lack government-recognized ID, limiting access to jobs, aid, finance, and services. The World Bank’s new ID4D diagnostic shows how stronger civil registration and digital ID systems could expand inclusion, protect vulnerable groups, […]