Zimbabweans Struggle To Acquire Identity Documents

Many people in Zimbabwe are not able to acquire identity documents such as birth certificates, national IDs, and passports.

A 50-year-old Mutare woman, Jessica Makwela, whose parents were from Mozambique, told ZBC News that she and her 9 children and 13 grandchildren have no identity documents. She said:

I don’t have national identity documents as my parents who are of Mozambican origin died when I was young and I don’t have any other relative in Zimbabwe to help me acquire identity documents.

I have 9 children and 13 grandchildren who also have no identity documents, and are deprived of benefits such as access to education and even the right to vote.

Access to identity documents is considered a human rights issue. However, the cost of acquiring the documents in prohibitive for many people.

More: ZBC News