The importance of
being registered
The indigenous Ngöbe Bugle people live a cross border life in their ancestral territories straddling Costa Rica and Panama. This traditional lifestyle contributed to a risk of becoming stateless, but a UNHCR supported project prevented this and helped clear their way to Costa Rican nationality and the benefit this brings, including access to school and health care. Members of the Ngöbe Bugle say how this changed their lives, told in their own words.
“I never had an official document”, says Nazario who was born in Costa Rica. “Now that I have one, things are a bit different. We feel we belong to this country, we are part of it – with equal rights.” ©UNHCR / Lucas Iturriza
34 year old Lucrecia Martínez Abrego could not produce any documentation when she went to the hospital for treatment. Through the UNHCR supported project, she received her late-birth registration documents from the Panamanian Registry Office. “Now we have papers”, she says, “and if the authorities ask for them, we proudly present them.” ©UNHCR / Lucas Iturriza
Benjamín Miranda Martínez, 10 years, felt a grave injustice: “My brothers had an official document, and I hadn´t. It was difficult to go to school without a document. It was very sad.” Benjamin is now grateful to the Electoral Tribunals in Costa Rica and Panama, and to UNHCR, because he finally received his documents allowing him to enroll in school. ©UNHCR / Lucas Iturriza
Lucrecia Martínez Abrego has six children between four and ten years old. While they have the same parents, their situation is not the same: “They all are my children, they all sleep together. Some have papers, others haven´t. How can I explain this to them?”, she asks. ©UNHCR / Lucas Iturriza
9 year old Roy Miranda Martínez has a plan: “The day I get my papers (birth certificate), I want to apply for a grant and go to school – just as my brothers. This brings a lot of joy.” ©UNHCR / Lucas Iturriza
Virgnia Abrego Miranda says: “I gave birth to all my children at home for fear of being deported. This caused my family a lot of problems in school. Now, UNHCR registered all of us, also my daughter who needs treatment because of her leukemia.” Thanks to the project, this 22-year old daughter, a mother of four, now receives her much needed medical care. ©UNHCR / Lucas Iturriza
Martin, leader in his indigenous community, has nine children. None of them were registered at birth, because they were all born at home. “45 years ago,” he remembers, “I came here without papers. This gave my family a lot of problems. Only recently, was my nationality determined, and that of my family. Since then, I am helping other people with the same issue.” ©UNHCR / Lucas Iturriza
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