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.
By Valentin Tapsoba, UNHCR Director for Southern Africa Mpho, 33, has lived in South Africa her entire life, yet she is stateless; she has no nationality. When she was found abandoned as a young child, the identity of her parents…
By Fred Odianosen Itua Dr. Solomon Oseghale Momoh is a Nigerian lawyer and protection associate with UNHCR, the UN refugee agency in Nigeria. He recently completed a PhD research at Utrecht University’s Centre for Regulation and Enforcement in Europe (RENFORCE)…
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, applauds Togo’s accession to the two UN Conventions on Statelessness. Togo has now become the latest country to join the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction…
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion make this joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), on the right to a nationality and human rights challenges pertaining to statelessness in Zimbabwe. This submission focuses…
1. International Refugee Rights Initiative, Minority Rights Group, The Uganda Child Rights NGO Network, the International Centre for Transitional Justice, and the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion make this joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), on the right…
Association Question des Femmes, Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme (RADDHO), WARIPNET (West African Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons Network), the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights Equality Now and the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI)…
Extracts relevant to Africa: Mobilizing governments and civil society On 25 May, the League of Arab States (LAS), in partnership with UNHCR, convened the virtual “Arab Regional Conference: Towards an Action Plan on Belonging and Legal Identity”. The conference resulted…
Introduction Birth registration is a fundamental right and an enabler of other rights as it bestows a legal identity on children for life. If a child is not registered, they do not officially exist and are vulnerable to violence, abuse,…
Extracts relevant to Africa: Mobilizing Governments and Civil Society On 7 November, the Consolidated Action Plan of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on the Eradication of Statelessness (2017-2024) was validated during a regional inter-ministerial committee meeting.…
Updates including information on the 6th anniversary of the #IBELONG campaign to end statelessness UNHCR Southern Africa Statelessness Newsletter EN Oct-Dec 2020 UNHCR Afrique australe Apatridie Bulletin FR oct-dec 2020 UNHCR IBELONG 6th anniversary Southern Africa