6. ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS Those lacking identity documents in Zimbabwe face challenging problems. They are necessary to access services, for personal and professional development, and to claim one’s rights. Birth certificates serve as the primary form of identification for all citizens. The national identity card, which all Zimbabwean nationals must apply for when they reach 16, is needed to enjoy a wide variety of civil, political, social and economic rights. Identity cards are required to: sit school exams, enrol in tertiary institutions, vote and run for political office, open a bank account and acquire or transfer property, apply for a passport, make a sworn statement before a judge, get married or divorced, and register the birth of one’s children. With no access to a birth certificate and identity papers, stateless people are prevented from fully exercising their human rights. One person interviewed by Amnesty said: “denying us identity documents as migrants does not only affect adults’ rights but denies our children their rights. It is not only destroying parents but the next generation.” Numerous administrative hurdles frustrate people’s efforts to obtain Zimbabwean citizenship. Many marginalized descendants of migrant farm workers are still required to renounce citizenship of their country of origin because of the non-existence of enabling legislation related to the current Zimbabwean Constitution which allows for dual citizenship. In February 2019, the Zimbabwean cabinet approved amendments to the Zimbabwe Citizenship Act to allow dual citizenship in order to align it with the 2013 Constitution. However, as of the time of writing, these were still to be tabled in parliament. 6.1 BIRTH REGISTRATION AT THE HEART OF IDENTITY Birth registration is the key to nationality in Zimbabwe. An unabridged birth certificate containing information such as the parents’ names, nationality, date of birth, ID number and the beneficiary’s details is required to ascertain proof of nationality. In Zimbabwe the Registrar General’s office is the administrative branch that registers births and deaths and is governed by the Births and Deaths Registration Act (BDRA).42 The BDRA provides for the compulsory registration of any birth that occurs after 20 June 1986. 43 According to this law, it shall be the duty of the mother or father to give notice of the birth or death of any person. 44 In the case of death or unavailability of the mother or father, notice may be given by the occupier of the house where the birth occurred, the person in charge of the hospital where the birth took place, the headman for the community in which the birth took place, the adult person who has custody of the child or any adult person who 42 . (BDRA)11/1986, Cap. 5 :02. 10, BDRA 44 Section 11 BDRA 43 Section WE ARE LIKE “STRAY ANIMALS” THOUSANDS LIVING ON THE MARGINS DUE TO STATELESSNESS IN ZIMBABWE Amnesty International 17