The Citizenship Rights in Africa Initiative (CRAI) Newsletter, 16/02/2016

The Citizenship Rights in Africa Initiative Newsletter
View in your browser

New on CRAI: 16 February 2016

A summary of new materials added from: 19 January 2016 – 16 February 2016

20 Sub-Saharan African Countries Still Do Not Treat Women As Equal Citizens
Published: 15 Feb 2016

By Flavia Mwangovya, Equality Now

Everyone has the right to be born with a nationality – safe, fearless and free – and secure in their human right to equally transfer, acquire, change or retain it. There is no reason why over 50 countries around the world – 20 of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa, should still have sexist nationality and citizenship laws, which largely discriminate against women, potentially putting them and their families in danger and denying them the rights, benefits and services that everyone should enjoy.

Full article
Sao Tome and Principe:  Angolans in São Tome welcome local citizenship
Angola Press News Agency

Angolans resident in São Tome and Principe welcomed the decision of local authorities to grant citizenship to Portuguese-speaking Community (CPLP) nationals based in the country since the proclamation of independence in 1975.

This was expressed by Angolans living in the district of Lobata, some 13 kilometres of São Tome headquarters.

Full article
Egypt:  Egyptian woman who has joined Israeli army, stripped of citizenship
Gulf Digest News

The Egyptian Government has revoked the nationality of a female citizen who joined the Israeli army.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Sharif Ismail issued a decree last Sunday sanctioning Dina Mohammed Ali Al-Masry, now known as Dina Ovadia.

Full article
Cote d’Ivoire:  Des jugements supplétifs remis à 800 enfants de N’Guessankro (Bongouanou)
abidjan.net

Bongouanou – Le club « Union africaine Côte d’Ivoire », avec l’appui financier du Fonds canadien d’initiative locale (FCIL), a procédé, vendredi, à une remise officielle de jugements supplétifs à 800 enfants de la sous-préfecture de N’Guessankro (département de Bongouanou).

Full article
Algeria: Draft Revised Constitution ‘Implicitly’ Enshrines Right to Dual Nationality for Algerians
Algerie Presse Service

The draft revised Constitution “implicitly” enshrined the right to dual nationality for the Algerians, said Tuesday in Algiers, Adviser of President of the Republic Kamel Rezag Bara, lamenting the excessive readings about the article inherent to the limitation of access to senior posts to the holders of the Algerian nationality only.

Article 51 of the revised Constitution “implicitly enshrines the right of the Algerians to having dual nationality,” Rezag Bara told the Radio, underlining that the nationality code, dating back to the 1970s, was based on the “exclusive” character of the Algerian nationality.

Full article
Algérie: les binationaux bientôt exclus de la vie politique?
RFI

Le nouveau texte, présenté début janvier, exclut les binationaux de la vie politique algérienne. Ce week-end, le chef de cabinet de la présidence, Ahmed Ouyahia, a expliqué que si des binationaux étaient intéressés par la politique en Algérie, il n’avaient qu’à abandonner leur deuxième nationalité. Des discours qui ne passent pas.

Full article
Algeria:  What does an amended constitution really change about Algeria?
The Washington Post

The Arab Spring came and went with little notice in Algeria. To be sure, all the conditions extant in those Arab countries that underwent violence-induced regime change – political oppression, social alienation, economic marginalization, cultural disillusionment – were equally present in Algeria. These accumulated grievances found expression in nationwide protests and large-scale mobilization of cross sections of Algerian social groups. Yet each and every one of the civil uprisings were effectively contained through a combination of coercive force and sociopolitical incentives intended to pacify immediate demands.

Full article
Cameroon: 10,000 Refugees for Biometric Registration
Cameroon Tribune

Some 10,000 refugees from 25 countries in the Littoral Region will soon have new identification documents, including Refugee Identity Cards and Attestations, thanks to biometric registration. Given the current state of insecurity in the northern part of the country, the United Nation High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, thought it wise to put in place a viable and efficient identification system.

Full article
Senegal & Tanzania:  The State We’re In: Ending Sexism In Nationality Laws
Equality Now

Home is where you belong, where you feel connected. Imagine then what it is like to be born without a nationality or to be denied the citizenship of your mother, or, at times, your father, because of discrimination in the law. Imagine the daily struggle to get access to education, health, jobs, voting, a driving licence and other human rights, benefits and services that most citizens take for granted. Unfortunately, this is the reality for countless women and their families, despite repeated commitments by governments to ensure women’s equality by repealing or changing discriminatory laws.

Full article
Somalia & Kenya:  Born and bred in Dadaab
BBC World Service

Dadaab, in eastern Kenya, is the largest refugee camp in the world sheltering thousands of Somalis. Ben Rawlence, author of a new book, City of Thorns, chronicles the lives of people who live there.

Full article
Ghana:  UNHCR Ghana to mark first anniversary of Abidjan Declaration
BusinessGhana

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ghana will from February 15 to March 12, organise a series of activities to mark the first anniversary of the “Abidjan Ministerial Declaration” on the eradication of statelessness.

Full article
Twitter
Facebook
Website