1. Discriminatory Nationality Laws
Historic statelessness among Hill Country Tamils was largely based on the discriminatory implementation of citizenship laws at the time of Sri Lankan independence in 1948, which indirectly excluded Hill Country Tamils from citizenship.
2. Lack of Legal Safeguards Against Childhood Statelessness
The citizenship laws of Sri Lanka provide that a foundling child of unknown and unascertained parentage will be considered a citizen of Sri Lanka until the contrary can be proven. Sri Lankan citizenship laws, however, do not address access to citizenship for children of stateless parents.
3. Administrative Barriers
The birth registration rate in Sri Lanka was reported at over 90% in 2009. Despite the country’s relatively high registration rate, the CRC has noted with concern the low rates of birth registration among marginalized groups in Sri Lanka and the potential impact on their access to nationality.
