Everyone has the right to say
I BELONG
Today millions of people around the world are denied a nationality. They often aren’t allowed to go to school, see a doctor, get a job, open a bank account, buy a house or even get married.
The #IBelong Campaign aims to raise awareness, secure commitments and catalyze global action to end statelessness.
Nationality is a fundamental human right. It is something most of us take for granted. But there are millions of people in the world who don’t have a nationality.
They are classified as stateless. Without a nationality, you are invisible in the eyes of the law. Statelessness endangers one of the most fundamental aspects of a person’s wellbeing: their identity.
But statelessness is not inevitable. It can be solved. UNHCR calls on all states to take necessary action to end statelessness.
Because no one should be made to feel invisible. And everyone has the right to say ‘I Belong’.
Policy Brief
This UNHCR #IBelong Campaign policy brief describes the current challenges facing stateless people around the world, highlights progress made in tackling statelessness over the last decade, and outlines UNHCR’s 10 key global actions and recommendations to end statelessness. For more detailed policy guidance, kindly refer to specific policy guidance available at Refworld’s Global Law and Policy Database.
Latest developments
Background Note on Gender Equality, Nationality Laws and Statelessness 2022
Nationality laws which do not grant women equality with men in conferring nationality to their children are a cause of statelessness and a concern for UNHCR under its mandate to prevent and reduce statelessness. This publication provides the most up-to-date information available to UNHCR on gender equality in nationality laws related to conferral of nationality to children, as of March 2022.
Liberia has pledged to remove sex discrimination from nationality laws, which currently do not allow mothers like Georgia to confer nationality to their children. UNHCR/ Diana Diaz
PLEDGES TO END STATELESSNESS
2019 High-Level Segment on Statelessness
Results and Highlights
What does it mean to be stateless?
About the #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness
Launched in November 2014, the #IBelong Campaign aims to end statelessness within ten years, by identifying and protecting stateless people, resolving existing situations of statelessness and preventing the emergence of new cases. Through legal advocacy and awareness-raising, UNHCR works with governments and partners around the globe towards achieving the Campaign goals.
The #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness directly advances the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9: By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration. Ending statelessness also contributes to SDG targets relating to gender equality, education, work and health, among others.
Ensuring that no one is left behind is key to commitments made by all nations, to strive for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.