4.2 National legal framework Finland is a party to a number of international and regional treaties relating to prevention and reduction of statelessness. Finland acceded to the most significant one of these in 2008, the 1961 Convention. The Convention was ratified without reservations and at the time of the accession, no amendments to the Nationality Act or other national legislation were deemed necessary, as the authorities considered them to be in compliance with the Convention already.159 In 2008, Finland also became a party to the European Convention on Nationality.160 Finland made two reservations to the Convention, in respect of Article 21 and Article 22.161 Finland is not party to the 2006 European Convention on the Avoidance of Statelessness in Relation to State Succession. Finland ratified the CRC in 1991,162 the CEDAW in 1986,163 the ICCPR in 1976,164 and the ECHR in 1989.165 The most important national legal instruments concerning the prevention and reduction of statelessness are the Constitution and the Nationality Act. The acquisition of Finnish nationality is regulated in the Nationality Act. It is to a large extent based on the principle of jus sanguinis, complemented by a few provisions reflecting the principle of jus soli. 4.3 Acquisition and loss of nationality under the national legal framework and the compatibility with international standards 4.3.1 Avoidance of statelessness at birth 4.3.1.1 BIRTH ON THE STATE’S TERRITORY Acquisition of Finnish nationality at birth is regulated in Section 9 of the Nationality Act. The Finnish nationality is always automatically acquired at birth from a Finnish mother. The Finnish nationality is also automatically acquired at birth from a Finnish father if the father is married to the (non-Finnish) mother of the child or if the child is born in Finland (to a non-Finnish mother) and the man’s paternity of the child is established. The Finnish nationality is also acquired from the father if the father has died but at the time of his death was a Finnish national and married to the (non-Finnish) mother of the child or if the child was born in Finland (to a non-Finnish mother) and the man’s paternity of the child is established. 46 159 FTS 96-97/2008. 160 FTS 93-94/2008. 161 FTS 95/2008. With regard to Article 22, paragraph 3, sub-paragraph g, Finland made a reservation to the effect that the obligations based on Article 21 are not binding on Finland when, by virtue of the Conscription Act, units are called up for extra service, which means service in serious disruptive situations under normal conditions or in exceptional circumstances with the aim of raising and maintaining the defence preparedness and training formations in their pre-planned composition, so that the unit may be called up for service during service times of mobilization. In respect of Article 22, sub-paragraph a according to which persons who have been exempted from military service in relation to one State Party shall not be deemed to have performed their military service in Finland. A person may, however, be exempted from military service under section 74 or 76 of the Conscription Act. 162 FTS 60/1991. 163 FTS 68/1986. 164 FTS 7-8/1976. 165 FTS 18/1990. MAPPING STATELESSNESS IN FINL AND