CRC Concluding Observations: Togo, 2005
Published: 31/Mar/2005
Source: UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
CRC/C/15/Add.255
Thirty-eighth session
Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties under Article 44 of the Convention Concluding observations: Togo
Birth registration and right to nationality
34. The Committee is concerned that mothers cannot pass their nationality to their children, and that children born out of wedlock or children with foreign fathers may, in some instances, be denied Togolese citizenship and/or left stateless.
35. The Committee, while noting the various efforts made by the State party in this regard, is concerned at the low rate of registration of birth, largely due to the lack of awareness on the part of the population of the registration procedure, to high fees and to long distances to the civil registry service centres.
36. The Committee recommends that the State party reform its citizenship laws, including the Nationality Code of 1998, in order to ensure the transmission of citizenship through both the maternal and paternal line, in accordance with article 32 of the Constitution of 1992.
37. The Committee also recommends that the State party strengthen its efforts and enact appropriate legislation, supported by awareness-raising campaigns concerning the importance of birth registration and by a reorganization of civil registry services in local communities, in order to achieve 100 per cent birth registration at the earliest time possible, and to ensure the registration of children who had not been registered at birth. Meanwhile, children who have no birth registration certificates should be allowed access to basic services, such as health and education, while preparing to be registered properly.
Download file: here