Most Central Africans, especially the youngest, do not possess a birth certificate and thus don’t exist in the eyes of the state. What is the reason for this lack of registration? What are the obstacles to access to the Register of Births, Marriages, and Deaths? What are the consequences? ASF appointed Thierry Vircoulon, an expert on Central Africa, to carry out a study to enable a better understanding of the issue and propose solutions.

Begin May, the European Union officially renewed its support for Avocats Sans Frontières’ work in Chad, allowing the organisation to continue its efforts to protect human rights in the country. This provides an opportunity to look back over some results achieved to date and look toward the challenges to come.

Without a birth certificate, you can be deprived of a large number of rights. How can you access health care without an identity document? How can you go to school? How can you vote? Most Central Africans, particularly young people, do not exist in the eyes of the State. In response to this problem, Avocats Sans Frontières is organising mobile judicial hearings: members of the court, the public prosecutor’s office and the court registry travel to villages to hand down supplementary rulings on birth certificates.

Lubero, DR Congo – Registration of births – and marriages – is vital for the establishment of citizens’ rights. This is the message that was shared by ASF and its partners with more than 6,000 people living in Lubero, North Kivu.

N’Djamena – Through its project supporting minors, Avocats Sans Frontières has secured the release of 64 adolescents held in N’Djamena prison in Chad. Run in partnership with the Chadian NGO Association for the Promotion of Fundamental Rights, the project also highlights the difficulties that children and adolescents face in the legal system, and the manifest abuses they suffer.

N’Djamena, Chad. Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF), in partnership with the local NGO APLFT launched a project to improve the support for minors in N’Djamena. This project will reinforce the capacities of the different actors in the related social and legal spheres.