8 oes the findings by CESF Consortium members in 13 countries,7 that: ‘[...] The right to nationality, documentation and legal status and equality and non-discrimination represent the main structural challenges which have a cyclical and inter-generational impact on stateless people. People are more likely to be deprived of other rights because they lack nationality, documentation or legal status. Without ready solutions, their children are more likely to inherit the same (lack of) status. Similarly, discrimination on the basis of race, sex and other grounds can cause and perpetuate statelessness, and statelessness in turn can lead to more discrimination.’ The below diagram demonstrates the pattern of structural discrimination on the one hand, and deprivation of the right to nationality on the other, combining to entrench the exclusion and marginalisation of stateless people. It further shows the exacerbating role that COVID-19 has played in this regard. The findings of the Kuwait research are consistent with this analysis and demonstrate the importance of pursuing structural legal change underpinned by the right to nationality and freedom from discrimination. Systemic, intergenerational discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic has had life-changing impacts on socio-economic rights such in relation to the livelihood, living conditions, and employment, including in relation to the growing evidence of self-harm and suicide amongst the stateless community (see the relevant sections below). It has also a significant impact on the Bidoon community’s access to the right to health, including to vaccinations (see relevant sections below). THE ROADMAP RECOMMENDATION FOR ENDING STRUCTURAL DISCRIMINATION 1 CHECK FOR INSTITUTIONAL BLIND-SPOTS We invite states, UN actors, humanitarian groups and other stakeholders to engage in careful introspection, check for institutional blind-spots, and review and reform policies and practices to ensure that stateless people are prioritised, their particular contexts and needs are understood and addressed and they are not excluded or left behind through: • • • • strengthening awareness of the issue at all levels; acknowledging historical failures; collecting and sharing information on statelessness and nationality rights deprivations; and resourcing the enhancement of capacities, collaborations and funding. CESF chapters included studies on Bangladesh, Central Asia, the Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Montenegro, Nepal, North Macedonia and on the Rohingya. 7