12 Azerbaijani Children Left Without Birth Certificates Over Turkic Names

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12 Azerbaijani Children Left Without Birth Certificates Over Turkic Names

2026.09.18, 14:13

The “My Child’s Name” (Balamın Adı) campaign has published the names of 12 Azerbaijani children who have been unable to obtain birth certificates because Iran’s Civil Registration Organization objected to their Turkic names.

Gunaz.tv

The campaign said in a statement:

“For children belonging to Turkish, Kurdish, Arab, Baloch, Lur, Gilak and other linguistic and cultural groups, the beginning of the new school year is also a reminder of another deprivation that has continued for years: the deprivation of the ‘right to education in one’s mother tongue.’

Article 15 of Iran’s Constitution permits the teaching of the literature of ‘local and ethnic languages’ in schools alongside Persian. Although implementation of this article does not amount to providing education in one’s mother tongue, nearly half a century after its adoption, the provision has still not been implemented.

Alongside this deprivation, many Turkic children face another problem: the deprivation of the ‘right to a name in their mother tongue.’

Every year, many children remain without birth certificates for months or even years because the Civil Registration Organization objects to their Turkic names. They experience the bitter consequences of discrimination from the very beginning of their lives.”

Being left without a birth certificate is not merely an administrative problem. It can also affect a child’s access to education and other essential rights and services.

From a child-rights perspective, Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child emphasizes a child’s right to a name and to have their birth registered. Article 8 of the convention establishes a child’s right to preserve their identity, including their name.

GUNAZ.TV

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