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| Mr. Martin Chiphwanya, CCJP National Secretary |
Civil Society Organisations
from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region have been
challenged to address stateless and at the same time protect statelessness
persons.
The call has been made at a
two day workshop for civil society organizations organized by the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Lawyers for Human Rights in
Pretoria, South Africa. Malawi is being represented at the workshop by Episcopal
Conference of Malawi’s Justice and Peace arm, Catholic Commission for Justice
and Peace (CCJP) and Centre for Hunan Rights Rehabilitation (CHRR).
According to Article 1 (1)
of the 1954 convention on the status of stateless persons, a stateless person is
the one who is not considered as a citizen by any state under the operation of
the law.”
CCJP National Secretary, Martin
Chiphwanya said that the workshop will enable his organisation engage policy
makers on what needs to be done in ensuring that the laws do not perpetuate
stateless and discrimination.
“There is need to review
our laws on citizenship to ensure that they do not discriminate on the basis of
gender, ethnicity, marriage or religion. Experts have to be engaged and take a
comprehensive look at our laws,” said Chiphwanya in an email communiqué from
South Africa.
Chiphwanya observed that
birth registration has to be comprehensive to ensure that all newly born
children are properly protected so that they do not fall victim to
statelessness at any point.
Delivering his key note
presentation, Dr. Matthias Reus, a Senior Regional Protection Officer for UNHCR,
emphasized on the need to enlist support for the protection of statelessness
people.
The workshop which
according to Chiphwanya has created a common understanding of state and the
right to nationality attracted other civil society organizations like Save the
Children, University of South Africa and Southern Africa Trade Union
Coordination Council.
CCJP which
participated to the workshop is mandated to promote awareness of human rights,
justice and peace in the communities the church serves hence ensure that there
is a
Creation
of a God–fearing, just and peaceful Malawian society that promotes integral
development and lasting peace that will contribute to the common effort of the
Episcopal Conference of Malawi and the whole church.
By Prince Henderson, ECM Communications Officer
.JPG)
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