Nationality laws which do not grant women equality with men in conferring nationality to their children are a cause of statelessness and a concern for UNHCR under its mandate to prevent and reduce statelessness. Each year since 2012, UNHCR has issued an annual background note on gender equality in nationality laws relating to conferral of nationality to children. This Background Note provides the most up-to date information available to the UNHCR as of 6 April 2015.