Les lois nationales accordent généralement la nationalité aux enfants à la naissance en se basant sur une combinaison des deux principes suivants : la nationalité du(des) parent(s) et le lieu de naissance de l’enfant. Tous les pays africains prévoient l’acquisition de la nationalité par filiation pour les enfants, même si certains pays pratiquent encore une discrimination selon le sexe du parent.
Dans environ la moitié des pays africains, les lois prévoient l’acquisition automatique de la nationalité pour les enfants nés eux-mêmes sur le territoire, ou si leurs parents sont également nés dans le pays, ou octroient aux enfants de parents non ressortissants le droit de revendiquer la nationalité s’ils sont encore résidents à leur majorité. Toutefois, dans plus d’une vingtaine de pays, soit il n’existe aucune disposition permettant aux enfants nés sur leur territoire de demander la nationalité, soit ce type de disposition n’est disponible que pour les enfants de parents inconnus.
Afin de prévenir l’apatridie des enfants, la Charte africaine des droits et du bien-être de l’enfant pose que les lois nationales sur la nationalité doivent au minimum prévoir l’octroi de la nationalité à tout enfant né sur le territoire qui, autrement, serait apatride. En outre, les lois nationales doivent prévoir des dispositions pour que les enfants nés de parents inconnus soient présumés avoir la nationalité du pays où ils sont trouvés, que les enfants adoptés puissent acquérir la nationalité de leurs parents adoptifs et que les enfants dont les parents sont naturalisés puissent eux aussi acquérir la nationalité en même temps.
By Victoria O’Regan Debates about Sowetan-born, former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina’s nationality have prompted questions about South African citizenship. What does it mean to be South African in terms of the law? Citizenship, in the legal sense, means […]
The Department of Home Affairs herewith provides an update on the ongoing investigation into the citizenship of Chidimma Adetshina, a contestant in the upcoming Miss SA event. The reason for the ongoing nature of the investigation is that its scope […]
To provide for a process for application for acquisition of Namibian citizenship by naturalisation for holders of South West Africa identification documents; to provide for a process for application for acquisition of Namibian citizenship by birth or descent of the […]
Chidimma Adetshina’s success should be a reason to celebrate SA’s diverse heritage By STEFANIE DE SAUDE DARBANDI The SA Citizenship Act of 1995 outlines the criteria for citizenship, which were revised after January 2013. The act now uniformly grants citizenship […]
Extracts relevant to Africa: Action 1: Resolve existing major situations of statelessness In February 2024, in Kenya, UNHCR is reviewed and provided technical feedback on a proposed amendment of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, aiming to establish a registration […]
The Archbishop of Johannesburg reiterates the Church’s commitment to responding to statelessness in the Southern Africa Region. By Sr Katleho Khang, SNJM In Southern Africa, many poor and marginalised children are exposed to statelessness due to a lack of birth […]
Selected extracts relevant to Africa: Highlights The Republic of Congo officially joined the 1954 and 1961 Statelessness Conventions, fulfilling a commitment made at the 2019 High-Level Segment on Statelessness. Sao Tome and Principe’s President signed a decree for the country’s […]
Government Gazette Vol. 706 No. 50530, 17 April 2024 STATEMENT OF THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS ON THE WHITE PAPER ON CITIZENSHIP, IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE PROTECTION: TOWARDS A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE MIGRATION SYSTEM IN SOUTH AFRICA “The ANC-led government […]
The Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs; Commissioner: Border Management Authority; Members of the Refugee Appeal Authority; Members of the Standing Committee on Refugee Affairs; Senior Management of the Department of Home Affairs; Journalists of various media houses; All […]
By: Thabi Shomolekae Creamer Media Senior Writer Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi announced on Wednesday the publication of the final White Paper On Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection. Motsoaledi was briefing the media on the publication and explained […]
From MARCUS MUSHONGA in Harare, Zimbabwe HARARE, (CAJ News) – THE Zimbabwean High Court has ordered the Registrar-General (RG) to end the statelessness dilemma of two minor children by registering their births and issue them with birth certificates within a […]
Nationality laws which do not grant women equality with men in conferring nationality on their children are a cause of statelessness and a concern for UNHCR.1 Since 2012, UNHCR has issued an annual background note on gender equality in provisions […]