documents. This is a discriminatory practice which has put many children at risk of being stateless, especially in cases where the mother is unable to give notice of birth due to lack of identity documents. Stephen Mathe of Robert Sinyoka village in Bulawayo province has seven children. His wife has left and he cannot obtain birth certificates for his children without her identity documents. Brighton Mhungu and Bridget Nhopere, both 21, are married with a 2-year-old son, Courage. The registry offices in Mutare told Bridget that only she can obtain a birth certificate for her son but she is unable to do so as she does not have any identity documents of her own. Courage faces a precarious future if he is stateless and unable to go to school. Legal guardian of a stateless child carrying the birth registration form © Amnesty International/Tsvangirai Mukwazhi Flexen Siziba has been battling to obtain birth certificates for his 11 children.58 He told Amnesty International that the mother of his children, who also did not have any identity documents, died in 2016 before he had paid her lobolo (bride price).59 Since he was in debt to his in-laws, they refused to vouch for his children at the registry offices. Even though Flexen has his own identity documents, without those of his late wife he cannot obtain birth certificates for his children and they are at risk of statelessness. Flexen told Amnesty International: “I fear that my children will not graduate to high school and they will not find meaningful jobs. They will continue with this life of poverty because we have failed to secure birth certificates for them.”60 Ganizani Chimkonde’s wife was admitted to a mental institution before she could secure birth certificates and IDs for their two children, aged 16 and 14. Ganizani is unable to obtain them and has no identity documents of his own. If his children do not have birth certificates and IDs they will be forced to drop out of school and unable to secure decent employment, trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty and inequality. 58 59 60 https://nehandaradio.com/2017/10/23/father-eleven-children-battle-birth-certificates/ A bride price traditionally paid with cattle and cash. Interview at Robert Sinyoka village on 27 November 2019. WE ARE LIKE “STRAY ANIMALS” THOUSANDS LIVING ON THE MARGINS DUE TO STATELESSNESS IN ZIMBABWE Amnesty International 23