West African artists join in the UNHCR #Ibelong campaign for women to be able to pass on their nationality
Rokia Traoré, Angélique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Marguerite Abouet, A'salfo, and Dobet Gnahoré are lending their voices to end statelessness in the region and in the world
Rokia Traoré, A’salfo (Magic System), Angélique Kidjo, Marguerite Abouet, Babaa Maal and Dobet Gnahoré join UNHCR to eradicate statelessness by 2024. Ten million people are stateless or at risk of statelessness in the world. Among them, at least 750,000 are in the West Africa region alone. In 27 countries in the world, including on the African continent, women are still not allowed to pass their nationality on to their children on an equal basis with men, hence creating a high possibility of statelessness for their descendants.
Like these committed artists, support our #ibelong campaign to end statelessness. Sign the Open Letter on:
http://ibelong.unhcr.org/en/join/index.do
To know more about statelessness:
http://ibelong.unhcr.org/
http://www.unhcr.org/54ff17376.html
http://kora.unhcr.org/ecowas-members-adopt-declaration-eradication-statelessness-west-africa/
http://kora.unhcr.org/stateless-alone-invisible/
http://kora.unhcr.org/statelessness-west-africa/
http://tracks.unhcr.org/2015/02/stateless-in-west-africa/
UNHCR / HELENE CAUXRokia Traoré : “As a mother it seems inconceivable that I would not be able to pass my nationality on to my children. We need to make sure that all mothers and their children can say #IBelong”
A global performer from the prestigious Barbican to Glastonbury Festival. She collaborated with Paul McCartney through Africa Express. She began her role with UNHCR’s World Refugee Day travelling to Burkina Faso to visit Malian refugees. Mixing her creative skills with powerful refugee stories of refugees she hopes to spotlight a forgotten crisis in West Africa.
Asalfo: “I fully commit to support the cause of ending statelessness”
A’SALFO, singer, Côte d’Ivoire
Born in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Salif Traore (A’Salfo) is the lead singer of the internationally-renowned group Magic System. He has been named Cultural Ambassador for Reconciliation and was awarded the Prize of Excellence in the the field of culture and arts in Côte d’Ivoire for his engagement on a number of social issues. He has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO since September 2012 .
Angelique Kidjo: “I believe everyone has the right to nationality”
ANGELIQUE KIDJO, singer, songwriter, Benin
Angelique Kidjo is a Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and activist from Benin, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time magazine has called her “Africa’s premier diva”.
Margurerite Abouet: “I believe everyone has the right to Belong”
MARGUERITE ABOUET, writer, Côte d’Ivoire
Originally from Abidjan, Marguerite Abouet created in 2005 the character “Aya of Yopougon”, who describes an Africa that is far removed from the clichés of war and famine. In 2006, she is celebrated at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Based in Paris, she writes stories and works for the organization “Des Livres Pour tous”.
Baaba Maal: “It does not matter where you live and where you came from. Everyone has the right to say #ibelong”
BAABA MAAL, singer and composer, Senegal
Baaba Maal, Senegalese musical superstar and human rights campaigner, is a globally known artist with 10 successful albums. He performs all over the world from the Hollywood Bowl to grassroots events across Africa. Inspired by Nelson Mandela, he uses the magic of music to inspire hope as an influential and thought-provoking spokesperson.
Dobet Gnahoré: “Thank you to the competent authorities to make sure that everyone in this world can have a nationality, which is a fundamental right”
DOBET GNAHORÉ, singer and composer, Côte d’Ivoire
Ivorian singer, danser and percussionist, Dobet Gnahoré created in 1999 the duo Ano Neko with the French guitarist Colin Laroche de Feline. She produced four albums and has given 900 concerts throughout the world with the production company Contre Jour. In 2010 she was awarded a Grammy with the singer Indie Arie for the adaptation of her song Paléa.
Des artistes d’Afrique de l’Ouest rejoignent la campagne #Ibelong du HCR pour que les femmes puissent transmettre leur nationalité
Rokia Traoré, Angélique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Marguerite Abouet, A'salfo et Dobet Gnahoré prennent la parole pour mettre fin à l’apatridie dans la région et dans le monde
Rokia Traoré, A’salfo (Magic System), Angélique Kidjo, Marguerite Abouet, Babaa Maal et Dobet Gnahoré rejoignent le HCR pour éradiquer l’apatridie d’ici 2024. Dix millions de personnes sont apatrides ou risquent de le devenir à travers le monde. Parmi eux, au moins 750 000 sont dans la seule région d’Afrique de l’Ouest. Dans 27 pays à travers le monde, y compris sur le continent africain, les femmes ne sont toujours pas autorisées à transmettre leur nationalité à leurs enfants sur un pied d’égalité avec les hommes, ce qui cause un risque important d’apatridie pour leurs descendants.
Comme ces artistes engagés, soutenez notre campagne #Ibelong pour mettre fin à l’apatridie. Signez la lettre ouverte sur : http://ibelong.unhcr.org/en/join/index.do