For many, a birth certificate is a forgotten document tucked away in a drawer. But for millions of people around the world who lack this fundamental proof of identity, its absence condemns them to a life of invisibility.
Arnold Ncube, a 25-year-old in South Africa, knows this reality all too well. Born in Johannesburg to a South African father, he is legally entitled to citizenship.
Yet, without a birth certificate, his existence is effectively erased. When he tried to register for secondary school, he discovered he had no official papers—a crisis that began when he was abandoned by both parents.
Today, washing cars in the backstreets of Thembisa township is one of the few ways he can earn a living.
“It’s a painful thing,” he says. “You’re basically invisible. You don’t exist. It’s like you’re living in the shadows. You don’t have a bank account, you can’t apply for a decent job.”
He tries to stay positive, but the weight of his circumstances is heavy. “When I see my peers, they are done with school now. Whereas I couldn’t study further. It’s a lot. Depression was once my friend.”
Arnold is one of an estimated 10,000 stateless people in South Africa—individuals born in the country who cannot prove their nationality and are consequently barred from public services, formal employment, education, and healthcare.
There are no official statistics because stateless people “slip through the cracks.” Figures rely on estimates from organizations like the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and civil rights groups.
Globally, statelessness affects millions, often resulting from administrative failures, gaps in legislation, or poor record-keeping.
Without citizenship, a person legally disappears—unable to access the most basic rights and perpetually forced to live in the shadows.
By James Kisoo
