Malaysian mothers win battle over ‘sexist’ citizenship law

The Kuala Lumpur High Court. Several Malaysian mothers won a legal battle for the right to pass their nationality to their children born abroad (AP)

Several Malaysian mothers have won a legal battle for the right to pass their nationality to their children born abroad, a landmark court decision hailed by activists as a giant step toward gender equality.

Malaysia is one of 25 countries that do not give mothers and fathers equal rights. Malaysia’s constitution gives fathers the automatic right to confer citizenship to their children born abroad, but does not mention mothers.