and the lack of recognition as a full participant in the political and social life of the country where a person has been born and lived all his or her life, has been at the heart of many of Africa‟s most intractable political crises and civil conflicts. Ensuring that all children have a nationality from birth is not only in the best interests of the child and future adult, but also of States Parties to the Charter. 90. In considering the significance of the wording of Article 6(3), the Committee of Experts held in the Kenyan Nubian Children‟s case that: The African Committee notes that Article 6(3) does not explicitly read, unlike the right to a name in Article 6(1), that “every child has the right from his birth to acquire a nationality”. It only says that “every child has the right to acquire a nationality”. Nonetheless, a purposive reading and interpretation of the relevant provision [Article 6(3)] strongly suggests that, as much as possible, children should have a nationality beginning from birth. This interpretation is also in tandem with Article 4 of the African Children‟s Charter that requires that “in all actions concerning the child undertaken by any person or authority the best interests of the child shall be the primary consideration”. 91. As indicated in that case, because by definition, a child is a person below the age of 18 (Article 2 of the African Children‟s Charter), any law, policy or practice which entails that children must wait until they turn 18 years of age to apply to acquire a nationality cannot be seen as an adequate effort on the part of the State party to comply with its Charter obligations.37 Although the Committee accepts that there are a variety of legal systems in place in Africa relating to the acquisition of nationality, and acknowledges the discretion of State parties to adopt rules that conform with their traditions and needs, this discretion is at the same time limited by the principles of international human rights law, including the African Children‟s Charter. Thus, the Committee believes that States should adopt legal and other measures to ensure that nationality is acquired by a child at birth not only on the basis of descent from a citizen without restrictions (such as limitation of transmission of nationality to one generation only for children born abroad), but also in some circumstances on the basis of birth in the territory of the State. The commitment to reduce the possibility of statelessness is an overarching obligation in the best interests of the child. 37 Kenyan Nubian Children’s Case, paragraph 42. 33