Protecting children from statelessness in conflict situations: the case of Democratic Republic Congo

The displacement of populations as a result of armed conflict is one of the main causes of statelessness in the DRC. The current migration crisis poses a new problem of statelessness, which is reaching alarming proportions and contributing to the perpetuation of the conflict. The DRC's inability to guarantee every child the right to a nationality has serious consequences for children, their families, and society as a whole. Resolving the issue of statelessness at an early age would prevent the persistence of identity-related discrimination in adulthood. The broad international legal framework provides a general guarantee against statelessness for children. However, despite this solid legal framework, the legislation in force in the DRC contains insufficient safeguards against statelessness for children, in violation of international obligations on the right of every child to a nationality. In light of these serious concerns, we would like to encourage reflection on the need to take measures to end statelessness through legislative and policy reforms and the effective implementation of existing provisions in the DRC.