The United Nations refugee agency has hailed a decision by Suriname’s National Assembly that enables mothers to pass on nationality to their children.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UN-HCR) said the important amendment to the 1975 Law on Nationality and Residence ensures gender equality in nationality laws, bringing “these laws into compliance with international standards.” UNHCR said the changes, including the right of women’s to confer their nationality to their spouses, “will provide important safeguards to eliminate gender discrimination and prevent statelessness due to loss of nationality.”
The new legislation, which was passed unanimously last month by the National Assembly made changes several matters regarding Surinamese nationality.
The law also made it easier to acquire nationality and more difficult to lose it.
In addition, the new law gives women the same right as men to confer their nationality on their spouses and introduce important safeguards to prevent statelessness due to loss of nationality.
