Children’s right to identity in Ethiopia
Published: 1/Sep/2024
Source: Child Identity Protection (Geneva)
Submission to the CRC 99th session (Sept. 2024) considering Ethiopia’s Combined Sixth and Seventh Periodic Report, CRC/C/ETH/6-7
Extract:
Nationality and statelessness:
● According to Article 6 of the Constitution, Ethiopian nationally can be acquired when both or either parents is Ethiopian and foreign nationals may acquire Ethiopian nationality.
● According to the Proclamation on Ethiopian Nationality No.378/2003,10 an infant who is found abandoned in Ethiopia, shall unless proved to have foreign nationality, be deemed to have been born to an Ethiopian parent and shall acquire Ethiopian nationality.
● According to the UNHCR, Ethiopian laws do not protect the child born in the territory of parents who themselves are stateless, or of unknown nationality, or who cannot transmit nationality to their children. The only protection against statelessness is provided for children of unknown parents. Ethiopian law states that the presumption of Ethiopian nationality relates to an “infant” found in the territory, and the upper age of an “infant” is not defined.
● In accordance of Article 7 of the same Proclamation on Ethiopian Nationality No.378/2003,13 any child adopted by Ethiopian national may acquire Ethiopian nationality by law if, (1) he/ she has attained age of majority; (2) he/ she lives in Ethiopia together with his/her adopting parents; (3) where one of his/her adopting parent is a foreigner, such parent has expressed his/her consent in writing and; (4) be able to show that he/she has been released from his/her previous nationality or the possibility of obtaining such a release upon the acquisition of Ethiopian nationality or that he is a stateless person.
Download: https://www.child-identity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CRC-factsheet-ETHIOPIA-ENG.pdf