Kyrgyzstan Allows Use of Maternal Name Instead of Patrilineal Name in Documents

The Constitutional Court of Kyrgyzstan has ruled that adult residents of the country should have the right to indicate the maternal name instead of the patrilineal name in official documents. This decision was made in the context of a resident's request to allow her to use her maternal name in her children's documents instead of the paternal name.

On June 30, the Constitutional Court had previously dismissed her case, stating that recognizing such a practice would infringe upon the interests of children. The court noted, "In a traditional society, a child with a maternal lineage could become a victim of bullying and stigmatization."

At the same time, the court has expressed that capable adult citizens should have the freedom to choose whether to indicate the paternal name or the maternal name in their documents. The court has tasked the government with developing legislative amendments that would grant this option to individuals aged 16 and older.

The court clarified, "Legislation should contain legal provisions that grant this opportunity to this category of citizens and do not create conditions for violations of the principles of equality and discrimination based on gender."

In Kyrgyzstan, it is currently possible to form a name either according to Kyrgyz traditions (by adding "ulu" (son) or "kyzy" (daughter) after the father's name) or according to Soviet traditions, which include a first name, surname, and patronymic.