5th May 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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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

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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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5 May 2026

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Submissions
Nationality law
Africa

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For more information, contact programs@equalitynow.org.

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