5th mayo 2026

Intervention on the Activity Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons

Nationality law Africa

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Summary
What’s included in the statement?
Who’s this statement for?
Key recommendations

Equality Now’s shadow report highlights the urgent need to reform discriminatory nationality laws across Africa that deny women equal rights to confer citizenship. Despite progress, gender inequality persists, leaving women and children at risk of statelessness, poverty, and violence. The report calls for decisive legal and policy action, grounded in human rights standards, to ensure equality in nationality rights. It underscores the importance of centering lived experiences and accelerating the implementation of regional frameworks to achieve lasting change.

What’s included in the statement?

Overview of gender discrimination in nationality laws and its human rights impact
Regional data and legal analysis on the scale of inequality
Insights from multi-stakeholder convenings and advocacy efforts
Model legal provisions and roadmaps to guide reform
Progress towards the adoption and implementation of the AU Nationality Protocol

Who’s this statement for?

Member States of the African Union and State Parties to the Maputo Protocol
Civil Society Organisations
Human rights bodies and regional institutions
Legal professionals

Key takeaways and recommendations

Enshrine gender equality in nationality laws and eliminate sex discrimination
Guarantee women’s equal rights to confer nationality to children and spouses
Protect every child’s right to a nationality
Centre the lived experiences of affected communities in reform processes
Urgently sign and ratify the AU Nationality Protocol to strengthen accountability and implementation

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16 de septiembre de 2026

20 pages

Republic of Moldova: Submission to the CEDAW Committee on gender-based violence against women and girls

Equality Now and Moldovan organisations urge the CEDAW Committee to press the Republic of Moldova to close gaps in protection, justice and reparation for survivors of gender-based violence.

Kazakhstan: Joint submission to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 93rd Session, on gender-based violence against women and girls

Bangladesh Joint Stakeholder Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its 93rd session

Read this joint submission informing the CEDAW Committee’s List of Issues for Bangladesh, raising concerns on rape laws, marital rape, child marriage, family law and access to justice.

Intervention on the Activity Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons

What’s included in the statement?

Who’s this statement for?

Key takeaways and recommendations

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Explore more resources

Republic of Moldova: Submission to the CEDAW Committee on gender-based violence against women and girls

Kazakhstan: Joint submission to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 93rd Session, on gender-based violence against women and girls

Bangladesh Joint Stakeholder Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its 93rd session

Intervention on the Activity Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Internally Displaced Persons

What’s included in the statement?

Who’s this statement for?

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Key takeaways and recommendations

About

Languages

Classification

More information

Explore more resources

Republic of Moldova: Submission to the CEDAW Committee on gender-based violence against women and girls

Kazakhstan: Joint submission to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, 93rd Session, on gender-based violence against women and girls

Bangladesh Joint Stakeholder Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its 93rd session

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