Browse through our library of news, events, blogs, interviews and publications. You can also access our Statelessness Index and our Statelessness Case Law Database.

Blog

Europe must not allow its children to grow up without a nationality

How do you explain statelessness to a child? Yes, you were born here. And yes, mummy comes from here. And yes, daddy comes from here. And yes, you…
/ Laura van Waas, Senior Researcher and Manager of the Statelessness Programme, Tilburg University
Preventing Childhood Statelessness in Europe: Issues, Gaps and Good Practices Publications

Preventing Childhood Statelessness in Europe: Issues, Gaps and Good Practices

The European Network on Statelessness (ENS) has published a new report, Preventing Childhood Statelessness in Europe: Issues, Gaps and Good Practices.
/ Report
Blog

Abandoned by parents, neglected by the State

„...I just want to get an ID card, like other citizens, and then register the birth of my children. My greatest wish is that my children go to…
/ Marija Drazovic, Legal Advisor, Praxis
Blog

Nationality Unknown? Promising steps, but still a risk of statelessness at birth in Hungary

Hungary is a state party to all statelessness-related international conventions, and as one of the few states in the world to operate a specific…
/ Gábor Gyulai, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Chair of the ENS Steering Committee
Blog

New Birth Registration Procedure – Impact on the Prevention of Statelessness in Serbia

In August 2012, a new court procedure for determination of date and place of birth was established in Serbia. It is intended for the persons who…
/ Milijana Trifkovic, Legal Analyst, Praxis
Blog

Every child belongs

When raising awareness of the importance of birth registration, organisations like Plan and UNICEF have done a good job of devising compelling…
/ Laura van Waas, Senior Researcher and Manager, Statelessness Programme, Tilburg University
Blog

Working towards the eradication of statelessness in South Eastern Europe

Several contributors have reported on this website on statelessness in South Eastern Europe and on initiatives to strengthen civil registration and…
/ Inge Sturkenboom, UNHCR
Blog

From Commitments to Achievements? The Zagreb Declaration on Access to Civil Documentation and Registration in South Eastern Europe

We know that there are still around 20,000 people who lack basic civil documentation and registration in South East Europe. This figure can only be…
/ Stéphanie Marsal, Senior Advisor, Office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities
Blog

Examining the human impact of legal identity documentation – one client at a time

Working on issues like citizenship, equality and inclusion – issues that both inform and are informed by ponderous social constructs like belonging…
/ Laura Bingham, legal officer for the equality/citizenship issue area of the Open Society Justice Initiative
Blog

Prevention of statelessness at birth – adequate nationality law but inconsistent implementation

In December 2011, Serbia acceded to the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The Serbian Law on Citizenship had already been in accordance…
/ Milijana Trifkovic, Legal Analyst, Praxis
Blog

Legally Invisible, Fighting for Health Care

Vela does not officially exist. Although she has lived in Macedonia all her life, neither she nor her four children have access to health services.…
/ Tamar Ezer is a Senior Program Officer in the Law and Health Initiative of the Open Society Public Health Program
Blog

Roma statelessness in Italy – field research reveals long-awaited data

The Italian Council for Refugees (CIR), with the support of Open Society Foundations, issued its study summarizing the results of the project “In…
/ Daniela Di Rado, Italian Council for Refugees (CIR)