public-awareness efforts should accompany the future implementation of an extended
program for acquisition of nationality by declaration.
With respect to comprehensive nationality law reform
The comprehensive review of the Nationality Code should also seek to simplify and clarify all
language and procedures and establish complete gender equality throughout the law.
As a country of immigration and in light of the longstanding legal exclusion from nationality
of historical migrants and their descendants in Côte d’Ivoire, consider measures that would
effectively integrate foreigners, such as adopting a double jus soli provision, along the lines
of other ECOWAS countries, or expanding the Nationality Code’s possibility of acquisition of
nationality by declaration for those born in Côte d’Ivoire after January 1973 and present in
the country at majority.
Reform the naturalization procedure to render it an effective avenue for acquisition of
Ivorian nationality, through public awareness-raising; simplification and streamlining of
procedures, and ensuring transparent and objective decision-making and impartial appeals
procedures.
With respect to identification of Ivorian nationals:
Render more accessible, including by reducing costs, the procedure for obtaining nationality
certificates to as wide a segment of the population as possible.
Revise and publish clear and transparent rules for judges to determine Ivorian nationality for
the purpose of issuing nationality certificates.
Inform individuals on the “gray list” from the 2009-2010 voter registration process of their
status on that list. In addition to allowing them to participate in the ordinary identification
process, designate a focal point or standing office within the National Identification Office
(ONI) to be responsible for providing feedback and answering questions for those on the
“gray list.”
Establish nationality determination commissions involving consular authorities of
neighboring West African States to jointly assess, determine, and document the nationality
status of individuals of undetermined nationality and at risk of statelessness.
Once a process is developed for determining statelessness status pursuant to the 1954
Statelessness Convention, establish a link for courts and consulates to refer cases of migrant
individuals they determine do not possess Ivorian nationality for additional statelessness
screening and create referral mechanisms open to other governmental institutions, civil
society, and international organizations, particularly UNHCR.
With respect to birth registration and civil status:
Revitalize the modernization program of the civil status system. Design a holistic strategy
for streamlining the procedures in the Civil Status Law to render civil status services more
accessible with the view to improving birth registration rates.
Adopt exceptional measures to facilitate the birth registration of Ivorian returnee children
who were born in exile.
7.2. To UNHCR
Pursue ongoing efforts to better identify the scope and scale of statelessness in Côte d’Ivoire
building on this report. Essential in this process is conducting participatory assessments with
stateless persons and groups at risk of statelessness to better understand their protection
needs and advocate for and craft responses to their concerns.
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