The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced the formation of the Global Alliance to End Statelessness, a cooperative initiative involving over 100 nations, civil society groups, and organizations led by stateless individuals. This initiative is part of a concerted effort to see statelessness relegated to history through coordinated, pragmatic actions aimed at realizing the universal right to nationality free from discrimination.
The Alliance aims to amplify the voices of those affected by statelessness by integrating the contributions of stateless-led groups and emphasizing personal narratives. Statelessness advocate Nosizi Dube shared her own journey to citizenship at the event, highlighting the critical need for global collaboration in addressing this issue. The gathering was portrayed as a significant multilateral convening on statelessness since 2019.
During the event, it was reported that approximately 122.6 million people are currently displaced due to a variety of factors including conflict and human rights violations, with the numbers rising by 12.6 million since last year. The Alliance outlines that millions lack nationality, resulting in significant barriers to accessing basic rights from birth to death. This includes denial of legal identity, education, healthcare, employment, and even recognition in death. The details are elaborated in the Alliance’s documentation.
This initiative draws inspiration from the #IBelong campaign, shifting from a UNHCR-led awareness effort to an inclusive multi-stakeholder collaboration. The Alliance will be steered by a 15-member Advisory Committee, representing a broad array of stakeholders, including those with firsthand experiences of statelessness. The Committee members will serve for three years, guiding the Alliance’s strategic initiatives and ensuring inclusive representation.
These developments underscore the international community’s recognition of the urgent need for systemic approaches to address statelessness, reflecting both moral imperatives and pragmatic necessities in a world facing growing migration challenges.