COALITION ON EVERY CHILD’S RIGHT TO A NATIONALITY
THE FORMER YUGOSLAV
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
LIRIJE, 13
Lirije is from a Roma minority in
the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia.
She was born at her family home rather than in
the hospital and her parents were not able to
register her birth. Even though she was entitled
to Macedonian nationality by law, she did not
have a birth certificate and her parents
struggled to save the DNA test required for late
birth registration. Without a birth certificate, she
was unable to enrol in school. It made her feel
ashamed to not have documents and be able to
go to school like other children her age. In early
2018, Lirije was finally able to obtain a birth
certificate and should now be able to confirm her
right to Macedonian nationality. However, many
children from the Roma minority still lack
documentation or any nationality.
©UNHCR/Roger Arnold
10
M I N O R I T Y C H I L D R E N A N D S TAT E L E S S N E S S
M I N O R I T Y C H I L D R E N A N D S TAT E L E S S N E S S
11
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