Belize

In Belize, many Maya children, especially Maya girls, lack birth certificates or have their names spelled incorrectly on their documentation. Maya mothers face difficulties interfacing with government officials to fix incorrectly spelled names due to language barriers. Maya women also face barriers to renewing their own identity documentation, which is required to register their children, due to requirements to fill out online applications for an in-person appointment. This requires internet access, which many do not have. Those who do have access may struggle to get to the appointment due to transportation issues. This results in Maya mothers being unable to register their children or fix their children’s misspelled names in documents. In 2025, CEDAW recommended Belize facilitate women’s and girls’ access to birth registration, especially in rural and Indigenous areas.