The DAO, Kailali, on Monday issued the citizenship certificate to Rajan through his mother’s identity.
But apart from the decision to grant the citizenship, what was remarkable was that the DAO issued the citizenship without embarrassing the receiver. Earlier, the DAO, while issuing the document through mothers, mentioned “Father not identified” in the space meant for father’s name, hurting the dignity of mother and the child. However, in Rajan’s citizenship certificate, the section has been kept blank.
“I am really happy today. I consider it a great achievement in life,” he said, expressing joy. The local of Dhansinghpur village had to struggle for five years to get the document.
Uma Devi Badi: An epitome of struggle
His mother is even more elated than the son. She feels that the government has protected her dignity and rights by providing the citizenship to her child through her name. “After several attempts, VDC secretary recently issued recommendation letter from the office for my son’s citizenship certificate,” said she.
In lack of father’s identity, the VDC office had been refusing to provide recommendation letter to Rajan without which citizenship certificate could not be issued to him.
According to her, she had made the first attempt to get citizenship certificate for her son immediately after he turned 16.
Although the interim constitution states that citizenship certificates could be issued through father or mother’s identity, the children of Badi community had been facing difficulty in receiving it in absence of father’s identity.
Badi people are Dalits living in western Nepal. The women of Badi community are traditionally involved in prostitution. As the children in the community are mostly sired by unknown men, they were often deprived of citizenship certificates.
Meanwhile, Janaki Tuladhar, a women’s rights activist, argued that Badi children should be granted citizenship certificates without difficulties. Tuladhar welcomed the DAO’s action.
Nevertheless, getting recommendation from local government bodies, which is mandatory for citizenship certificate, is difficult for the children of Badi community. They say that acquiring recommendation letter from local offices should be made easier.
Chief District Officer (CDO) Mahadev Pant acknowledged the fact that the DAO has been issuing citizenship certificates to applicants through mothers only after they brought recommendation letter from respective VDCs or municipalities.
He informed that many other Badi children, who also lacked father’s identity, have also been provided with citizenship certificates.
As per the DAO’s record within the last fiscal year, the office has granted citizenship certificates to 2,221 people through mothers.
