Mozambique: Fighting Statelessness
Published: 1/Jan/2012
Source: UNHCR
Mozambique has not signed any of the Statelessness Conventions (neither the 1954 nor the 1961 Statelessness Conventions), although it has adopted a number of international and regional human rights instruments containing important references to nationality. The issue of Statelessness; however, remains pertinent and it is partially recognized as such by the Government (especially in case of Mozambicans residing abroad) and also by civil society, particularly in the areas inhabited by persons with citizenship problems.
A serious challenge in the Country is the fact that no new nationality legislation has been enacted after the introduction of the 2004 Mozambican Constitution. Further, the applicability of the 1975 Nationality Act and the 1975 Regulations Implementing the Nationality Act is contested. In practice, this leads to inconsistent practices of the Civil Registry Offices at provincial level. This is especially critical when it comes to the application of witness procedures for persons lacking primary documentation (birth certificates).
Download report: UNHCR Mozambique Statelessness Project
[undated; issued approx. late 2011 or early 2012]