Achieving Gender-Equal Nationality Laws In Africa
Published: 28/Dec/2018
Source: Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights
As of 2018, roughly 50 countries globally have nationality laws that discriminate on the basis of gender. Twenty-five countries retain nationality laws that deny women the right to pass their nationality to their children on an equal basis with men. While most African countries uphold citizens’ equal right to pass citizenship to their children, roughly one-third of the countries that deny women the right to pass their nationality to their children on an equal basis with men are in Africa. Roughly 40 percent of African countries deny women the right to pass their nationality to their foreign spouse on an equal basis with men. Several countries in the region have nationality laws that also discriminate against women in their ability to change or retain their nationality. Today, ending gender discrimination in nationality laws is a critical area of reform needed to achieve gender equality and combat statelessness. One of just a few root causes of statelessness, gender discrimination in nationality laws undermines women’s equal status in society and the family and implicitly ascribes women a second-class citizenship status.
This publication provides a brief overview of reforms to uphold gender equality in the nationality laws of Algeria, Botswana, Kenya, and Senegal—all countries where women and men have the equal ability to confer nationality on children and spouses. It also outlines partial reforms enacted in Madagascar and Sierra Leone, where citizens now have the equal right to confer nationality on children but where further reforms are needed to uphold citizens’ equal right to confer nationality on spouses. This publication does not provide detailed information on the important movements for gender-equal nationality rights in these countries—movements that advanced women’s equal citizenship and the welfare and security of countless affected families. The second half of the publication summarizes the significant benefits to citizens, their families, and society when gender-equal nationality rights are upheld.
Download from Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights: https://www.equalnationalityrights.org/reports/document/1285-achieving-gender-equal-achieving-gender-equal-nationality-laws-in-africa