A Mother’s Struggle For Her Daughter’s Citizenship

For many Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses, who gave birth overseas, obtaining citizenship for their children is a never-ending struggle. As it stands, the Malaysian constitution awards fathers the automatic right to confer citizenship on their children born abroad but the same does not apply to mothers.

Esther Teo is one of these mothers. After fighting an uphill battle against the system for years, alongside other mothers and the NGO Family Frontiers, her eight-year-old daughter finally obtained her citizenship in late December 2023. 

Esther joins us in this episode to share her journey.

Image Credit: Esther Teo