Afghanistan Finally Allows Mothers’ Names on Children’s Birth Certificates

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has signed an amendment, finally allowing mothers’ names to be included on their children’s birth certificates.

The change in policy comes after a three-year campaign by women’s rights activists, who used the hashtag #WhereIsMyName, on social media to push for women’s right to be named on the official documents of their children.

Previously, only the father’s names were allowed on children’s IDs.

The president signed the amendment after Parliament had delayed passing the changes scheduled for discussion last week.

Laleh Osmany, the #WhereIsMyName campaign founder, spoke to the BBC about her joy over the victory.

“There is no doubt that this victory is the result of persistent campaign and consonance among the campaigners and citizens,” she said. “The government also stood by the citizens, and I express my gratitude to the president himself and his deputies for their support. I also thank everyone, men and women who supported our campaign and raised their voice, and congratulate all equal rights campaigners [on this victory].”

It is an uphill battle in Afghanistan to obtain any form of ID or any form of paperwork.

It takes a long time for her to be given a name, and even once she is married, her name does not appear on her wedding invitations, per Mahjooba Nowrouzi of the BBC Afghan service.

When a woman is ill, her name does not appear on her prescription, and when she dies, her name does not appear on her death certificate or even her headstone.

A monumental, life-changing win for the women of Afghanistan.