Global Summit Urges Gender Equality in Nationality Laws, Advocates for Women's Rights

Leaders from governments, civil society, and United Nations agencies gathered in Geneva for a Global Summit on Gender Equality in Nationality Laws, spearheaded by the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights, UNHCR, UNICEF, and UN Women. The conference aimed to handle gender-based discrimination dominant in nationality laws and called for immediate action to ensure equal rights in acquiring and conferring nationality.

Reaffirming their commitment to gender equality, countries such as Eswatini, Iraq, and Kiribati participated in the summit and expressed their determination to reform their nationality laws accordingly. Despite progress made in several nations, 24 countries still uphold laws that deny women the ability to pass citizenship to their children, while almost 50 countries restrict their rights to confer nationality on their spouses at par with men.

The summit highlighted that gender-discriminatory nationality laws undermine women's status as equal citizens and perpetuate inequality within families. Moreover, these laws contribute to statelessness, leading to widespread human rights violations affecting not only women but also their families and societies as a whole.

Adriana Quiñones, UN Women's Head of Human Rights and Development in Geneva condemned gender-discriminatory nationality laws as an implicit endorsement of women's inferiority and second-class citizenship. Women's rights activists stressed that they are not seeking charity but demanding their inherent rights to equal nationality.

The benefits of gender equality in nationality laws extend beyond individuals and families, playing a crucial role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and addressing the issue of statelessness. The Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights emphasized the growing awareness among policymakers regarding the need for reform and the importance of embracing gender equality in nationality laws.

International law and human rights conventions, including those focused on women's rights and children's rights, protect the equal right to acquire, change, retain, and confer nationality. The summit emphasized the fundamental link between children's rights and their parents' equal right to confer nationality, irrespective of gender.

Statelessness and gender-based nationality laws have achievable solutions that primarily require political will and action by states. UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, emphasized that the cure for statelessness and gender-based discrimination lies within reach. He urged universal equality between women and men in nationality matters, citing inspiring progress in past reforms and emphasizing the importance of consigning discrimination to history.

The Global Summit on Gender Equality in Nationality Laws serves as a pivotal moment in the global pursuit of women's rights and gender equality. By challenging discriminatory nationality laws, the summit paves the way for a more inclusive and just society, where women have equal rights and opportunities in acquiring and conferring nationality.