1. BIRTH REGISTRATION AND ITS ROLE IN PREVENTING/ADDRESING STATELESSNESS BENYAM DAWIT MEZMUR (Prof of Law, Community Law Centre)

2. 1.Introduction Objective The child rights imperative A score card for the region? Birth registration and statelessness: The various scenarios Some food for thought

3. 2.Objectives To draw link A “right from the start”- implications? contributing to the economic and social development of a nation through creation of a permanent demographic database Birth registration as an enabling right Birth registration rate and GDP per Capita

4. 3.The child rights imperative Article 7 (and Art 8) of the CRC Article 6 of the ACRWC Nature of State Party obligation –Interdependence and indivisibility –What is meant by immediate? –what are the elements of the right?

5. 3. The child rights… (cont’d) Right to life- Family life Early marriage - Juvenile justice ECD- Education Social Security- Child labor Adoption - Sexual exploitation Child soldiers- Harmful practices Child protection systems in general…

6. 4.A score card in the region? Demand side barriers Supply side barriers Is BR compulsory? Identification of vulnerable groups? Who are they? Where are they? Why are they in vulnerable situations? Etc… Freedom of movement and implications Attempting innovative ways

7. 5. The various scenarios BR as a “proof” of nationality Migrants / Refugees / IDPs Border and nomadic populations Foundlings and unknown parentage Children of permanent residents etc… Adopted children Children born outside of country Acquisition by naturalization/registration Loss/deprivation and renunciation

8. 6.Some final thoughts Constitution Cross learning Lack of money is root of all evils? Partnerships and breaking the silos BR as good investment + security asset Post 2015 Development agenda Hope of Africa rising?!

9. SOME SOURCES USED Manby Brownen (detailed sources available in the Biblio section of “Nationality, migration and statelessness” publication for this meeting) including “Statelessness in Southern Africa” available at http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/50c1f9562.pdf http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/50c1f9562.pdf UN CRC Committee http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/CRCIndex. aspx