Thandeka Chauke|Tshegofatso Mothapo

Ending childhood statelessness and dismantling barriers to birth registration in South Africa

• 5 November 2021
• Thandeka Chauke|Tshegofatso Mothapo

A recent decision by South Africa’s apex court has put the focus on an antiquated law that prevented children of unmarried parents accessing birth registration in the same way that children of married parents do. It’s a crucial issue for the children affected and their families, because the law as it previously stood was a serious obstacle and the potential cause of statelessness for those denied birth registration. As the writers explain, the decision of SA’s Constitutional Court affirms the intrinsic worth and right to birth registration for all children in SA and also does away with several archaic concepts.