The Right of Children Belonging to Minorities to Nationality: An Examination of the Views of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and States’ Obligations

Document Type : Academicm and Research

Authors

1 . Professor of Public International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

2 PhD Candidate in Public International Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

Abstract

The right to nationality is of such fundamental importance that it has been described as a “right to have rights.” The enjoyment of this right is particularly vital for children belonging to minorities, who constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in society. Given the importance and necessity of the right to nationality for children, particularly in regions with minority populations, this article aims to analyse the right of children belonging to minorities to nationality in light of the views of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and to examine States’ obligations in this regard. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, the study finds that, in the Committee’s view, the enjoyment of nationality plays a pivotal role in enabling children to enjoy other human rights. The principal obligations of States concerning the right of children belonging to minorities to nationality include prioritising the status of these children in policymaking, reforming discriminatory nationality laws, making specific budgetary allocations to ensure the necessary funding for the granting of nationality to such children, and obtaining assistance from relevant civil society organisations affiliated with or operating in minority-populated regions. It appears that, for both legal and ethical reasons, as well as in view of the important objectives of domestic development and stability, one of the necessary measures in regions with minority populations is to reconsider discriminatory policies concerning nationality and to maximise access to nationality for minority populations generally, and for children in particular, while taking into account States’ legitimate security considerations.

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References

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