Identity a fundamental right
Posted May 2006 - Jyoti Sachavirawong
 The right to a nationality is so fundamental that its deprivation is considered a deprivation of human rights.
Many benefits and access to other rights are so dependent on documents in today’s world. An identity card is often requested before a child can go to school, get health care when sick, or seek any legal protection. Without this legal document the child’s development is restricted, leading to social ills such as lack of education, which in turn obstruct productive employment.
Yet certain groups of people are left out and not recognised by any country. The problems associated with being ‘undocumented’ or ‘unregistered’ which leads to statelessness are doubly detrimental for the poor, rural, ethnic and marginalised groups who tend to form the bulk of those left out.
The causes vary from technical reasons, where the systems may not be able to reach out to all areas in the country; implementation at the local level; lack of awareness for the need of legal documentation, or simply because people do not see the importance or the need for such papers.
There are also instances where culture plays a role, such as a father who registers only the boys, while girls are left out of the system. The next generation of those under the non-registration category also became stateless as a result, compounding the problem.
There are two international legal instruments dealing with statelessness which include the 1954 and 1962 Conventions. However the problem with these instruments is that only a small number of States have ratified them, 57 and 30 respectively. What this illustrates is the need to give the issue the political priority it deserves and collaboration with government is needed to address the issue of statelessness.
To address the issue an integrated approach of simplified registration process, in particular those involving late registration, coupled with awareness raising campaigns for both the public and government officers dealing with registration process are crucial.
 Friedrich Naumann Foundation together with ERA Consumer Malaysia conducted a workshop at the end of March 2006 focusing on this issue. A number of Indian Malaysians fall within this undocumented group and are faced with a number of hardships. The event was officiated by YB DATO’ S.Veerasingam, Vice President of Malaysian Indian Congress and Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs, with H.E. Ambassador Thierry Rommel, Head of Delegation of the European Commission in Malaysia. His Excellency delivered a key note address that highlighted the situation of the Indian Malaysians as documented by the work of the women empowerment project that the Foundation and ERA Consumer have been working on in the last three years.
The workshop generated a number of recommendations which will be submitted as a memorandum to the government.
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Special Focus : Statelessnes