U.N.'s Bold New Push to End Global Statelessness Crisis

Millions of people worldwide remain stateless, denied basic rights and trapped in legal limbo. The U.N. has launched a fresh initiative to tackle this crisis, building on its #Ibelong campaign. Despite some progress, challenges persist, fueled by nationalism and inadequate citizenship laws, leaving many still without a nationality.

In a significant development on the international front, the United Nations has initiated a renewed campaign to combat the persistent global issue of statelessness, affecting millions worldwide. The new drive, launched by the U.N. refugee agency, aims to resolve the crisis, expanding on the efforts of the decade-long #Ibelong campaign.

The plight of stateless people, like Karina Ambartsoumian-Clough, illustrates the severe implications of living without a nationality. Stateless individuals often face severe restrictions, lacking basic rights such as access to employment, education, healthcare, and travel, and are at constant risk of exploitation and detention.

While the #Ibelong campaign made strides, such as Kyrgyzstan eliminating statelessness within its borders, challenges remain. Global efforts are threatened by rising nationalism and xenophobia, and discriminatory citizenship laws often prevent substantial progress. The U.N. stresses the need for collective action to address these systemic barriers.

(With inputs from agencies.)