The Archbishop of Johannesburg, Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, is taking a stand against statelessness in the Southern Africa Region, reaffirming the Church’s commitment to addressing this pressing issue.
In Southern Africa, many impoverished children face the risk of statelessness due to the lack of birth certificates, legal identity, and nationality. This leaves them vulnerable to child labor, forced marriages, human trafficking, and a lack of access to education, healthcare, and social services. According to a report by the UNHCR, an estimated 19 million children under the age of 5 in Southern Africa are without a birth certificate.
Archbishop Tlhagale recently participated in a conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, where religious leaders, diplomats, and civil society organizations gathered to discuss ways to combat statelessness in the region. He emphasized the importance of governments issuing birth certificates immediately after birth registration, a practice that can help prevent statelessness.
Archbishop Tlhagale highlighted the conference’s goal of mobilizing religious leaders, organizations, and other stakeholders to accelerate efforts in ending statelessness. The conference also aimed to give a voice to stateless individuals and involve them in finding solutions to this complex issue.
The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has been actively supporting individuals and communities affected by statelessness through its Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugee Offices. The conference has also played a key role in advocating for local communities and governments to address the challenges of statelessness not only in Southern Africa but also globally.
