CITIZENSHIP AND STATELESSNESS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA \Y “protection and promoting self-reliance in the countries of asylum” as well as facilitating “the voluntary return of Somali refugees in safety and dignity”. The declaration included specific commitments to provide civil registration and documentation to refugees.*** Under the associated plan of action, Ethiopia pledged to “allow for local integration for protracted refugees who have lived in Ethiopia for 20 years or more”, including at least 13,000 refugees already identified by the Administration of Refugee and Returnee Affairs.525 League of Arab States Djibouti and Somalia are both members of the League of Arab States. In 2017, a conference convened by the League — in collaboration with UNHCR, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Campaign for Equal (UN Women), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Global Nationality Rights — adopted a Declaration on Women's Nationality Rights. The declaration established as one of its objectives that Member States should: put an end to all forms of discrimination in the area of nationality and to take concrete steps to amend laws and legislation relating to nationality in order to grant women and men equal rights in conferring nationality to children and spouses and to acquire, change or retain nationality in conformity with international standards and not contrary to national interests.77° In 2018, the League adopted the Arab Declaration on Belonging and Legal Identity which, among other things urged Member States to review and enforce their national laws on nationality in order to: ensure, without exception, that all children, including unaccompanied children are registered upon birth and are able to acquire a nationality, in particular by promoting laws enabling women to pass their nationalities to their children in compliance with the relevant international Conventions and Covenants.?2” Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Djibouti and Somalia are also members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). In 2005, the 32nd conference of foreign ministers convened by the OIC adopted a Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam.%28 Article 7 on “identity” provides that: 1. Acchild shall, from birth, have the right to a good name, concerned, to have his or her nationality determined, to be registered with the authorities and to know his/her, parents, all his/her relatives and foster mother. 324 Nairobi Declaration on Somali Refugees, 25 March 2017, Section Il, para 1; Section Ill, para 1; and Section IV, paras 5 and 9. https://igad.int/communique/1519-communique-special-summit-of-the-igad-assembly-of-heads-of-state-and-government-on-durable-solutions-for-somalirefugees. 325 Nairobi Comprehensive Plan of Action for Durable Solutions for Somali Refugees (Annex to the Declaration), para 4.2.6. https://igad.int/attachments/article/1519/Annex%20to%20the %20Declaration%20-%20Final%20Plan%200f%20Action%2011.04.2017.pdf. 326 | eague of Arab States, The First Arab Conference on Good Practices & Regional Opportunities to Strengthen Women's Nationality Rights, League of Arab States Secretariat General, 1-2 October 2017 - Final Declaration, 2 October 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a256c4a4.html 327 league of Arab States, Arab Declaration on Belonging and Legal identity, 28 February 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9ffbd04.htm! 328 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam, June 2005, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/44eaf0e4a.html. 72 UNHCR — December 2021