Life in limbo: the Manus babies who face a stateless future

Up to 39 children have been born to Papua New Guinean women and refugee men originally detained on Manus Island. Their families claim the children have been denied birth certificates, leaving their future uncertain

The children of Manus Island refugees and local women are being denied birth certificates, according to their families, potentially leaving up to 39 of them stateless.

A number of refugee men detained in the Australian-run Manus Island regional processing centre and Papua New Guinean women started relationships as early as 2015, with some children born shortly after. The regional processing centre was shut down in 2017 but at least 750 refugee and asylum seeker men remain in the country, with 580 of those on Manus Island, according to UN high commissioner for refugees estimates from July.

Related: 'Nothing has changed': the men who remain in limbo on Manus Island

Related: Australia subjected refugees to crimes against humanity, class actions allege

Related: Group of Manus Island refugees move to Nauru amid worsening health crisis

Continue reading...

from Children | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2rvtH04