The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
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Latest items for CLCW-LAW-2

Sept. 30, 2023, 4 p.m.
Countries: Kazakhstan
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"The Committee is concerned that the following legislative gaps create a high risk of statelessness for women and girls in the State party: (a) Births may not be registered unless parents provide identity documents" (p.11).
June 27, 2023, 11:16 p.m.
Countries: Algeria
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"The constitution states that the right to enter and exit the country is provided to citizens. The law does not permit those under age 18 to travel abroad without a guardian’s permission. Married women under 18 may not travel abroad without permission from their husbands, but married women older than 18 may do so" (18).
Feb. 6, 2023, 12:07 p.m.
Countries: Kyrgyzstan
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"The Committee [on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women] recommends that the State party…[r]eview the Citizenship Act and other relevant legislation and regulations to ensure that stateless women, women of undetermined nationality, Mugat or Lyuli women and their children have adequate access to birth registration and identity documents, including rural areas, and to Kyrgyz nationality" (9).
Jan. 12, 2023, 7:42 p.m.
Countries: Saudi Arabia
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Three years ago, as part of a series of reforms, a decree from the Saudi royal family announced that women would be allowed to leave the country without first acquiring the consent of their male guardian. The guardianship system remains, and applies to every woman throughout their lives, with the role of guardian transferring from father to husband. But it does not apply in as many aspects as it once did – which means that going to this neighbouring World Cup, for a country that is demonstrably football mad, is now possible for everyone." (para 3).
Dec. 26, 2022, 5:35 p.m.
Countries: Qatar
Variables: CLCW-PRACTICE-1, CLCW-LAW-2

"Women have to obtain men's permission (usually their father's or brother's) to…travel. (An app that allows men to veto travel permits, driving licences and other government services for unmarried women under 25 has been downloaded a million times)" (para 3).
June 28, 2022, 2:56 p.m.
Countries: Bangladesh
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"84% of adults age 18 and older have a national identification card (NID)" (9). "All Bangladeshi citizens age 18 and older are issued a national identity card (NID). In the 2017-18 BDHS, respondents were asked whether they had the NID card. More than four-fifths of household members age 18 and older (85% of men and 82% of women) reported having the card (Table 2.16). Eighty-six percent of men and 83% of women in rural areas had an NID card, as compared with 84% of men and 80% of women in urban areas. Respondents age 18-19 (10%) were less likely to have an NID card than those in the older age...more
June 14, 2022, 5:24 p.m.
Countries: Denmark
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2, ATDW-LAW-5

"[In Greenland] women and men have the same right to marry, to choose a spouse, to seek divorce, to enter into a registered partnership, and to choose a surname and employment" (40).
May 27, 2022, 4:14 p.m.
Countries: Turkey
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"In accordance with Citizenship Law No. 5901, all women and men in Turkey are equal in terms of acquiring, changing or retaining their nationality" (14).
May 16, 2022, 8:09 p.m.
Countries: Suriname
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Identity Act: No progress in the process to amend Annex 1 of S.B. 1976 no. 10, granting married women free choice of using the surname of their husband on their Identity Card" (10). "The Ministry of Justice and Police is preparing legislation that no longer will oblige married women to use the surname of their husband on their identity card" (45).
March 10, 2022, 10:53 p.m.
Countries: Lebanon
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"In such cases authorities no longer required the court procedure and DNA tests to register these children; however, proof of marriage is still mandatory. This decree does not apply to the registration of Palestinian refugee children more than one year old" (27). "Birth registration still remained inaccessible to some, because the government required proof of legal residence and legal marriage, documentation which was often unavailable to refugees" (33).
Jan. 6, 2022, 12:09 p.m.
Countries: Somalia
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Women are allowed to hold official identification papers, such as ID card. There are no official papers for which there are differences between men and women. Women are able to hold passports and travel without a male or guardian permission as long as they are over 18. However, women are not allowed to travel from Somalia to Saudi Arabia to go to Hajj (perform pilgrimage without a male companion)" (1).
Oct. 15, 2021, 9:09 a.m.
Countries: Qatar
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Women in Qatar are living under a system of 'deep discrimination' – dependent on men for permission to marry, travel, pursue higher education or make decisions about their own children, according to a new report" (para 1). "'Or, passport law says a woman can get her own passport but there have been instances where officials say a father must approve the application,' said Begum" (para 10). "Noof al-Maadeed decided to leave Qatar after years of domestic abuse and restrictions: '[I was] only allowed to go to school and back. Anything else [and I could] expect a beating,' she said. But Qatari government rules prohibit unmarried women under 25 from travelling...more
Sept. 29, 2021, 9:33 a.m.
Countries: Mali
Variables: CLCW-LAW-1, CLCW-LAW-2, CLCC-PRACTICE-1

"Citizenship is derived from either parent or by birth within the country, and the law requires registration within 30 days of birth. A fine can be levied for registration occurring after the 30-day period. Girls were less likely to be registered" (24).
Sept. 22, 2021, 10:41 a.m.
Countries: Afghanistan
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"The Committee notes that a new citizenship law is being drafted and commends the State party on its efforts to raise awareness of the importance of obtaining a national identity card (tazkira). The Committee notes with concern, however, that many women continue to face difficulties in obtaining identity cards owing to the lack of security, restrictions imposed by male family members, limited mobility or the lack of financial means, a situation that in turn impedes their access to State services and employment. It notes with concern the specific obstacles, including administrative barriers and corruption, faced by women heads of households, widows, divorcees and internally displaced and returnee women in obtaining...more
Sept. 5, 2021, 4:07 p.m.
Countries: Nepal
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"In Nepal, one needless law means that, of the estimated 126,000 earthquake-affected women who are currently pregnant, thousands may give birth to children who will not legally be Nepali citizens. That’s because Nepali law requires proof of the father’s citizenship. For the many unborn or newborn Nepalis whose fathers have been killed – or who have even just lost their personal documents – proof of paternity and of the father’s citizenship will be incredibly difficult" (para 2). "In truth, the earthquake is not the true reason why these babies are at risk of statelessness. The cause is sex discrimination in Nepali law that denies women the right to confer their...more
Aug. 5, 2021, 10:19 a.m.
Countries: Palestine
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

An Islamic court in the Gaza Strip has ruled that women in the Hamas-run area must have the permission of a male guardian to travel.
July 16, 2021, 2:45 p.m.
Countries: Saudi Arabia
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"In July 2020, Saudi writer Mariam Al Otaibi, 32, won a historic ruling ending a three-year legal battle against her family, which sued her for living and traveling alone under the 'absenteeism' law. She was put on trial for living and travelling alone without her father’s permission. Mariam Al Otaibi won the battle after a court ruled that she had 'the right to choose where to live'" (para 9-10). "In another incident a few months ago, a Saudi court rejected a case filed by a man against his wife in which he accused her of being absent from her family’s house. Under the old 'absenteeism' law, parents were allowed to...more
July 7, 2021, 11:18 a.m.
Countries: Saudi Arabia
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Women still require male permission to renew their passports and leave the country"(para 98).
June 18, 2021, 5:06 p.m.
Countries: Haiti
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"To obtain a passport, the applicant must (1) complete and sign an Application Form, which can be obtained at the Embassy and (2) submit the following documents in person to the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Washington, D.C. or to the nearest Consulate of Haiti...Original marriage certificate, if the applicant is a married woman" (para 1-2). This quote is taken from the Haitian passport requirments list, and indicates women are eligible to apply for passports (CAT - CODER COMMENT).
June 9, 2021, 8:43 p.m.
Countries: Poland
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Marriage to a foreigner or a change of citizenship by the husband did not automatically entail a change of his wife’s citizenship and did not confer upon her the status of stateless person or force her to change citizenship to that of her husband" (37). "Between 2002 and 2006, independent passports were issued for children and a child up to the age of 16 could be entered to the passport of its parent, either the woman or the man, and could travel under the care of the parent into whose passport it was entered. Children could be entered both to their father’s and mother’s passport. Entry of a child to...more
April 30, 2021, 8:17 p.m.
Countries: Egypt
Variables: CLCW-PRACTICE-1, CLCW-LAW-2, IIP-PRACTICE-1, IIP-LAW-1

"In January, the Egyptian cabinet approved a personal status law that would require women to get the consent of a male guardian to…travel abroad. The draft law also…allows fathers to prevent mothers from traveling with their children" (para 2).
Jan. 31, 2021, 1:58 p.m.
Countries: Angola
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

“The primary legal confirmation of Angolan nationality is birth registration, which enables the individual concerned to acquire an identity document. Birth registration is regulated by the Civil Registry Code, approved by means of Decree Law No. 131/95 of 6 June and updated by Acts No. 7/1, 23/13, 90/15, 143/15 and 2/16 and by Decrees Law 209/12 and 201/15, legislation that has served to expedite the process, as any citizens who do not have this important identification document can register for free. New births are registered by the competent services, especially births occurring in maternity hospitals throughout the country, including the most remote locations, as services are increasingly being made available...more
Jan. 18, 2021, 12:48 p.m.
Countries: Saudi Arabia
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Amid the criticism, Saudi authorities announced landmark reforms for Saudi women that, if fully implemented, represent a significant step forward including allowing Saudi women to obtain passports and travel abroad without the approval of a male relative for the first time" (para 2). "In late July, Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers promulgated landmark amendments to the three laws that will begin to dismantle the country’s discriminatory male guardianship system. The changes to the Travel Documents Law permit “anyone holding Saudi nationality” to obtain a Saudi passport, allowing women over 21 to obtain their own passports without their male guardian’s permission for the first time. In mid-August, Saudi authorities announced further...more
Dec. 31, 2020, 4:24 p.m.
Countries: United States
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Khaleghzadeh has a 25-year-old undocumented pregnant daughter, also married to an undocumented Afghan refugee, who does not have a work permit in Iran. 'If she can get my Iranian nationality, then she can pass it to her baby, too,' she said" (para 16). "'I know the problem with dual nationality in Iran's constitution, but I really like my daughters to get Shenasnameh, because it saves all the visa hassle we have at the border every time we want to visit my family in Iran,' she said" (para 24).
Dec. 21, 2020, 11:43 a.m.
Countries: United Arab Emirates
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Article (37) from the Federal Law No. (17) Of 1972 concerning Nationality and Passports has been abrogated to grant women a separate passport without consent of her husband" (para 19). "There are no restrictions on women travelling alone internationally" (para 20).
Sept. 26, 2020, 10:54 p.m.
Countries: Yemen
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2, IIP-PRACTICE-1

“A.A. and Others v. Sweden (no. 14499/09) (28 June 2012): This case concerned Yemeni nationals (a mother and her five children) living in Sweden pending enforcement of a deportation order. They alleged that, if deported to Yemen, they would face a real risk of being the victims of an honour crime as they had disobeyed their husband/father and had left their country without his permission. The Swedish courts considered that the applicant family’s problems mainly concerned the personal sphere and had been related to financial matters, rather than to honour. The Court found that substantial grounds for believing that the applicants would be exposed to a real risk of being...more
Sept. 26, 2020, 7:38 p.m.
Countries: Qatar
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Single women under 25 years of age must obtain their guardian’s permission to travel outside Qatar. While married women at any age can travel abroad without permission, men can petition a court to prohibit their wives’ travel. A wife can be deemed disobedient, and thus lose her husband’s financial support, if she travels despite his objection" (para 13).
Aug. 13, 2020, 6:36 p.m.
Countries: Iran
Variables: CLCW-PRACTICE-1, CLCW-LAW-2

"A married woman may not obtain a passport or travel outside the country without the written permission of her husband. Under the civil code, a husband is accorded the right to choose the place of living and can prevent his wife from having certain occupations if he deems them against 'family values.'" (para. 19).
Aug. 2, 2020, 5:17 p.m.
Countries: Saudi Arabia
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2, CLCC-PRACTICE-1

"Amid the criticism, Saudi authorities announced landmark reforms for Saudi women that, if fully implemented, represent a significant step forward including allowing Saudi women to obtain passports and travel abroad without the approval of a male relative for the first time" (para 2). "The changes to the Travel Documents Law permit 'anyone holding Saudi nationality' to obtain a Saudi passport, allowing women over 21 to obtain their own passports without their male guardian's permission for the first time. In mid-August, Saudi authorities announced further changes to regulations allowing women over 21 to travel abroad freely without permission from their male guardian" (para 20).
June 23, 2020, 6 p.m.
Countries: Tajikistan
Variables: CLCW-LAW-2

"Article 19 of the Civil Code provides that citizens may travel freely in the territory of Tajikistan, choose a place of residence and freely travel outside the Republic and return to it" (6).