18th Февраль 2026

The right to equal citizenship: A decade of global action for gender-equal nationality laws (2014-2025)

This impact report reflects on Equality Now’s and the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights’ (GCENR) work between 2014 and 2025 to eliminate gender discrimination in nationality laws.

During this period, the campaign contributed to 18 full and partial nationality law reforms, while influencing reform efforts in more than 20 countries. Drawing on coalition documentation, reform tracking, and lived experiences, the report examines how feminist legal advocacy, coalition-building, and engagement with UN mechanisms have helped translate gender-equal nationality rights into enforceable international law and standards and tangible legal change.

What’s inside the report?

  • An overview of gender discrimination in nationality laws and its impact on women, children, and families
  • The origins and development of the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights
  • Key advocacy pathways and strategies used to advance reform at national, regional, and global levels
  • Case studies and lived experiences illustrating how legal change was achieved
  • Contributions to international law, UN standard-setting, and accountability mechanisms
  • Lessons learned, including challenges, backlash, and sustainability considerations

Who’s it for?

This report is intended for:

  • Policymakers and legislators working on nationality, citizenship, and gender equality reform
  • UN agencies and international bodies addressing nationality, statelessness, legal identity, and women’s rights
  • Civil society organisations and advocates engaged in legal reform and movement-building
  • Donors and supporters interested in evidence-based approaches to advancing legal equality

Key takeaways and recommendations

The report highlights several key insights from GCENR’s work between 2014 and 2025:

  • Equal nationality rights are foundational to gender equality, statelessness prevention, and access to basic rights and services.
  • Coalition-based advocacy strengthens impact, particularly when national reform efforts are connected to regional and global accountability mechanisms.
  • Centring lived experience enhances effectiveness, ensuring that legal reform reflects the realities of women and families affected by discriminatory laws.
  • Legal change often occurs incrementally, with partial reforms playing a critical role in building momentum toward full equality.
  • International and regional mechanisms matter, as UN processes and global standard-setting have been instrumental in driving national reforms.
  • Sustained support is essential to protect gains, address backlash, and ensure reforms are implemented in practice.

Explore more resources

1

2

3

Proposed select draft articles on nationality rights to ensure gender equality

Equality Now’s new draft articles offer a legal blueprint to reform discriminatory nationality laws and ensure gender-equal citizenship rights globally.

2023 update: Progress on ending sexism in nationality laws since July 2022

Equality Now’s reports document the global impact of discriminatory nationality laws, calling for the removal of barriers that prevent women from passing citizenship to their spouses and children, highlighting persistent inequalities and hardships.

The state we’re in: Ending sexism in nationality laws, 2022 edition — Update for a disrupted world

Despite some reforms, 47 countries still have sex-discriminatory nationality laws that limit women’s rights and participation, though recent updates in Benin, Liberia, and Iran show steps toward equality.

Newsletter Sign-up

Make a donation

I want to donate