For Immediate Release August 30, 2023, Belmopan – A grant of US$24,730 was awarded by the U.S. Embassy Belmopan to the Human Rights Commission of Belize (HRCB) under the Julia Taft Refugee Fund of the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). Through the project “Breaking the Cycle of Intergenerational Statelessness,” HRCB will organize and facilitate two vital statistics clinics in northern Belize (Orange Walk and Corozal) to meet the demand for birth certificates in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Each clinic will take place over two days and will provide services to approximately 400 individuals for the duration of the project. The clinics will provide late birth registration and birth certificates, and with the assistance of embassies, it will provide information on next steps if the parent of an applicant has no proof of birth or government-issued identity document. Each clinic will provide a one-stop shop where individuals will receive critical birth documents or, if unable to finish the process in one day, receive guidance on how to begin the process and remain in contact with HRCB for completion. The clinics will be facilitated by HRCB with assistance of the Government of Belize’s Vital Statistic Unit and the International Organization for Migration.
Beneficiaries of this project who obtain birth certificates legally registering their citizenship will be able to access educational and economic opportunities previously barred to them and build prosperous lives for themselves and future generations.
The Julia Taft Fund started in October 2000 to support one-time, low-cost interventions that respond to critical gaps in protection and assistance for refugees, asylum seekers, refugee returnees, and stateless persons through local organizations. In 2022, PRM funded 72 Taft projects in 60 countries around the world.
Share
Read more
