Stateless persons are denied the right to nationality. They are extremely vulnerable to discrimination and persecution. They often lack official documentation, which prevents them from accessing basic services such as education and healthcare.
To promote a world in which no one is left stateless, we carry out a number of activities in countries where this issue exists and must be addressed.
Raising awareness
We highlight the human rights situation of stateless persons at various international forums and we regularly engage with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, key treaty bodies and special procedures on the detention of stateless persons and other forms of discrimination.
- Publishing an influential, agenda building, comprehensive study on global statelessness: Unravelling Anomaly: the Detention, Discrimination and Protection Needs of Stateless Persons.
- Working together with these forums saw statelessness integrated as a key issue of the international movement to end arbitrary detention.
Supporting training on statelessness
We support organisations to deliver training around the world to advocate against statelessness.
- In 2013-2014, with UNHCR support, we delivered training to immigration lawyers in the UK together with Asylum Aid and Garden Court Chambers on the new Immigration Rules on Statelessness.
- In 2013 we delivered training on statelessness to associate members of the European Network on Statelessness in the Western Balkans Region.
- In 2012, we published Guidelines to Protect Stateless Persons from Arbitrary Detention and an accompanying Commentary. The Guidelines, which were widely endorsed by key organisations and individuals as an authoritative text on the issue, have since been used in training activities around the world.
Developing networks
We believe that together in partnership we can achieve better results than through fragmented approaches. To enhance collaboration against statelessness, we are part of key networks including:
Fighting for the Rohingya
Our work also looks at documenting the discrimination faced by the Rohingya – a largely Muslim ethnic group who have been made stateless by the government of Myanmar. The Rohingya, who currently reside as stateless, severely deprived minority in their native Myanmar and as refugees in many countries abroad, have been subject to one of the most serious and sustained campaigns of ethno-religious discrimination and persecution in the world today. Since 2010 we have used our four programmes in advocacy, litigation, research and supporting equality movements to fight for the rights of the Rohingya. Read more on our key outputs relating to protecting Rohingya rights.