In recent years legal identity has become an important and evolving issue in international policy circles. A legal identity helps ensure a child has access to justice and legal protections. However, legal identity is not defined in international law and this coupled with conflicting and discriminatory laws around the world, poverty and civil disruption results in a global legal identity gap. As such, there is growing understanding that more needs to be done and that legal identity extends beyond existing frameworks based on biology, legal parentage and ties with family and private life.