MENA Statelessness Network (Hawiati)

Regions: Afrique du Nord

The MENA Statelessness Network (Hawiati) is a network bringing together actors working on, and interested in, statelessness in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Mission

The network’s activities are broadly focused around the following Mission.

  • Reducing and ending statelessness in the MENA.
  • Protecting the human rights of stateless persons in the MENA.

More specifically, the network’s founding strategy is to work according to the following 11 Objectives:

Objectives

Identification and Understanding Statelessness:

  • To better identify, map and understand statelessness and its legacy in the MENA in order to increase the quality and availability of accurate information – including on the scale, causes and impacts of statelessness;
  • To conduct research into the emerging risk factors leading to and perpetuating statelessness in the MENA;
  • To understand the impacts of statelessness on affected individuals, communities and states in the region;

Fostering Solidarity and Collaboration:

  • To facilitate contact among actors and stateless persons from different communities of the MENA;
  • To serve as a platform for collaboration and the sharing of information and expertise;

Supporting Advocacy:

  • To advocate for legal reform and policy and legislative change with a view to reduction/prevention of statelessness and protection of stateless persons, and reinstate revoked nationality;
  • To advocate against discriminatory norms and practices that lead to and perpetuate statelessness in the MENA;
  • To coordinate effective advocacy strategies and messaging towards the international community including regional and universal governance mechanisms;
  • To use strategic litigation as mechanisms to protect stateless persons rights
  • To conduct and support awareness-raising campaigns and advocacy-focused capacity building activities.
  • To coordinate and collaborate with regional and international NGOs with similar interests.