CITIZENSHIP AND STATELESSNESS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA 4 Djibouti Djibouti has recently updated its legal framework. The new civil code adopted in 201818 replaced the previous law of 1972.'°9 In addition to incorporating the nationality code, it provides comprehensive rules on registration of births, marriages, divorces and deaths, as well as establishment of parentage (filiation), inheritance and other matters. Despite the fact that Djibouti reformed its nationality law in 2004 to provide that a child can acquire nationality equally from a Djiboutian mother or father, a birth is declared to the civil registration available.''° The officials requirement deadline; as is common by the father, or by medical is for a birth to be registered or birth attendants within three days, if the father is not a remarkably short in former French territories, late birth registration must be ordered by a court, through a jugement supplétif d’acte de naissance.'"' In practice, the three-day deadline is only applied in Djibouti city, and the requirements in the rural areas vary quite widely.''? Tribunals have conducted regular outreach to ensure late registration, especially among children attending school; if parents do not have identity documents a jugement suppétifis also necessary on their behalf.''$ To register a birth, the person registering (in most cases the father) must provide: birth notification from the hospital, identity documents of one or both parents, and death certificate of a parent if relevant. The fees payable are 500 DJF (USD 2.80) for a new-born baby and 1 500 DJF (USD 8.40) for late registration (through a jugement suppleétif) — in addition to any fees to obtain the birth notification or other documents required.''4 The civil code establishes a procedure for abandoned infants to be declared to civil status officials." In practice, this protection is applied to children who are apparently four years old or less. If such a child is reported to the authorities the police are given the responsibility to carry out an inquiry to identify the child’s parents. If they cannot be found, the police present the child to the juge des mineurs, who will give an order for the late registration of the child’s birth, with the presumption of Djiboutian nationality, and for the placement of the child in the care of a children’s home. In case of older children, an adult — for example from an organisation working with children — would need to intervene on a child’s behalf for 108 | oj n°003/AN/18/8eme L portant Code Civil. 109 foj n°72-458 du 2 Juin 1972, appliqué par le décret n°73-376 du 27 Mars 1973. 110 | oj n°003/AN/18/8éme L, art. 87. 111 Loi n°003/AN/18/8eme L, art 86: “Lorsqu’une naissance n’aura pas été déclarée dans le délai légal, l’officier de I’état civil ne peut la relater sur ses registres qu’en vertu d’un jugement rendu par le tribunal du lieu dans lequel est né l’enfant, et mention sommaire en est faite en marge a Ia date de Ia naissance. Si le lieu de la naissance est inconnu, le tribunal compétent est celui du domicile du requérant.” 122 Interview, UNICEF Djibouti, 29 March 2021. 113 Kossi Agbeviade Djoke & Guedda Mohamed Ahmed, « Analyse des goulots d’étranglement du systeme d'enregistrement des naissances a Djibouti: Rapport définitif », Ministére Délégué Chargé de la Décentralisation & UNICEF, Novembre 2017. 114 According to the page ‘Acte de naissance’ on the official e-government website, as of March 2021: https://www.egouv.dj/sousmenu/sousmenu_selected/Service/7 44 toi n°003/AN/18/8eme L, art.89: “Toute personne qui trouve un enfant nouveau-né est tenue d’en faire la déclaration a I’officier de I’état civil du lieu de la découverte. Si elle ne consent pas a se charger de l'enfant, elle doit le remettre, ainsi que les vetements et autres effets trouvés avec lui, d un centre agréé pour l’accueil des enfants abandonnés. Si en revanche, elle consent a se charger de I’enfant, elle doit en faire la déclaration au procureur de la République et engager une action aux fins de placement ou d’adoption.” UNHCR — December 2021 35