Namibia is Forced to Look at its Laws around Parenting

A Namibian high court is to decide whether a gay man can return home with his twin daughters, who were born to a surrogate mother in neighbouring South Africa. Phillip Lühl says his daughters are stateless after Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs refused to issue emergency travel authorisation papers for them last week. Under South Africa’s surrogacy laws, a child born to a surrogate mother takes the citizenship of its parents. In this case, the twins’ South African birth certificates recognise Mr Lühl and his Mexican husband, Guillermo Delgado, as the parents. Same-sex relationships are illegal in Namibia, though those involved in one are not prosecuted. There are also no specific legal guidelines regarding surrogacy in Namibia. Activists have planned a march outside the high court on Thursday to protest at what they say is inequality against members of LGBTQ community.

SOURCE: BBC