lack of recognition is often based on arbitrary and discriminatory laws and motives such as exclusion of a particular race, ethnic origin and gender. The Committee notes that the existence of such discriminatory laws and practices in relation to nationality matters deprives the child's legal existence in a particular state which then exclude the child from enjoying a full range of his/her rights which are linked with the conferral of nationality. Because a child is undulybased on discriminatory laws and practices- denied or revoked his/her nationality, he /she may not have his/her birth registered,3 be enrolled in schools or universities, have access to public health services, or obtain travel documents.4 34. Based on the above explanation the Committee approached the allegation from two angles i. Whether the nationality laws of the Republic of Sudan consist of discriminatory provisions as it relates to acquisition of nationality; and ii. Whether the nationality laws of the Republic of Sudan consist of discriminatory provisions as it relates to deprivation of nationality. 1.1. Alleged violation of article 3 as it relates to the prohibition of nondiscrimination on the ground of sex of a parent while transferring nationality to a child 35. The Committee recognises the fact that matters of nationality, particularly acquisition of nationality, falls under the domain of individual states, based on the principle of sovereignty and equality of states in international law.5 However, the Committee also recognises the instances where international law can feature into the domestic jurisdiction of states in matters of attribution of nationality. At the current stage of the development of international human rights law, the authority of States on matters of nationality is limited, on the one hand, by their obligation to provide individuals with the equal and effective protection of the law 3 Though the Committee takes the position that according to article 6 (2) of the African Children's Charter, State Parties are legally bound to register ALL children who are born on their territories regardless of their nationality. 4 It is because of the high prevalence of discrimination in nationality laws that international and regional laws include specific prohibition of discriminatory laws and practices in nationality laws. In this regard, the Committee particularly refers to Article 6 (g) & (h) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women, Article 26 of the ICCPR, Article 5 of the 1965 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Article 9 of the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, Article 2 of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and Article 5 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. 5 Laura van Waas, Nationality Matters: Statelessness under International Law, 2008, Pp. 36. 9

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