Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa The Sustainable Development Goals Article 2: Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Ending Gender Discrimination in Nationality Laws to Promote Sustainable Development States Parties shall combat all forms of discrimination against women through appropriate legislative, institutional and other measures. In this regard they shall: a) Include in their national constitutions and other legislative instruments, if not already done, the principle of equality between women and men and ensure its effective application; The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by consensus by Member States of the United Nations. Gender-equal nationality rights are essential to achieving SDG 5: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” The achievement of many SDGs will be negatively impacted unless nationality laws are reformed to uphold gender equality. b) Enact and effectively implement appropriate legislative or regulatory measures, including those prohibiting and curbing all forms of discrimination particularly those; d) Take corrective and positive action in those areas where discrimination against women in law and in fact continues to exist; The N’Djamena Initiative on the Eradication of Statelessness in Central Africa Article 11: Encourage States Parties to pursue the implementation of the relevant provisions of the aforementioned conventions and to ensure that men and women have equal rights in terms of acquisition, change and retention of nationality, as well as in transmission of nationality to their children. 16 G E N D E R D I S C R I M I N AT I O N A N D C H I L D H O O D S TAT E L E S S N E S S