Until the Second World War, the grant and withdrawal of nationality was regarded as being wholly within the sovereign discretion of states. Since the Universal Declaration on Human Rights first provided for the right to a nationality in 1948, the international human rights framework has increasingly restricted that discretion.
The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons provides for the protection of stateless persons in a similar framework to that established for refugees; while the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness establishes certain basic rules to avoid statelessness at birth and in case of loss or deprivation of nationality.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, both provide for every child to have the right to acquire a nationality. In addition, all the international human rights treaties targeting various forms of discrimination mention the right to a nationality, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racism, the Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, and the Convention on the Rights of All Persons with Disabilities.
More information on the international standards and actions against statelessness can be found on the UNHCR website, including a set of important Guidelines on Statelessness and Good Practices Papers for states. In 2014, UNHCR launched the #IBelong campaign to end statelessness in ten years.
A total of 358 pledges were submitted on the occasion of the the High-Level Segment on Statelessness in October 2019. 252 of these pledges were delivered by States, 73 by civil society organizations, and 33 by international and regional organizations.…
Highlights from Africa: Angola acceded to both the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The adoption of National Action Plans to Eradicate Statelessness in Niger, Eswatini and the…
Luanda – O Governo angolano depositou nesta segunda-feira, em Genebra (Suíça), as Cartas de Adesão à Convenção das Nações Unidas sobre o Estatuto dos Apátridas, numa cerimónia que contou com a participação de Estados que já aderiram ao acordo. O…
Extracts: Mobilizing Governments and Civil Society From 16 to 18 April, a Ministerial Conference on the Eradication of Statelessness in the Great Lakes Region took place in Nairobi, Kenya. It was organized by the Government of Kenya, the International Conference…
CRC/C/CPV/CO/2 Concluding observations on the second periodic report of Cabo Verde Birth registration and nationality 31.The Committee welcomes the State party’s efforts resulting in almost universal birth registration but is concerned about children not yet registered and the difference in…
CRC/C/BWA/CO/2-3 Concluding observations on the combined second and third reports of Botswana Extract: Birth registration and nationality 29.The Committee welcomes the measures taken to promote birth registration, including through the amended National Registration Act, but remains concerned about the significant…
Extracts: From 16-18 April 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya, the Government of Kenya, the Executive Secretariat of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the United High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) co-organised a Ministerial Conference on the Eradication…
Including the following information on African states: On 17 and 18 January, the Kenya Human Rights Commission convened a workshop on digital identity and citizenship with representatives from the Government of Kenya and from stateless communities in Naivasha, Kenya. The…
CRC/C/GIN/CO/3-6 Concluding observations on the combined third to sixth periodic reports of Guinea Extract: Birth registration 21.The Committee notes the ongoing reform undertaken by the State party to improve State functions in the area of civil status matters, including the…
Highlights from Africa: On 25 and 26 October, UNHCR organized the annual “Nationality and Statelessness Moot Court Competition and Conference” in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The competition and conference aims to raise awareness and strengthen knowledge on nationality and statelessness among future…