These data confirmed that almost all stateless persons have habitually resided in the Kyrgyz Republic for many years, have close family links to Kyrgyz citizens and are culturally and socially well-integrated in their resident communities. But they also face a variety of problems created by lacking citizenship documentation. All surveys detected strong gender and age dimensions of the problem. A majority of stateless persons are women, whose lack of proper legal status may increase their vulnerability in their families and communities. Also worrying is the fact that all surveys identified big numbers of stateless children. This underlines the fact that statelessness will not disappear by itself with progressing years of independence, but that decisive, sustainable action is needed to solve the plight of stateless persons and thus assist peace and development in Kyrgyzstan. To advance such solutions we requested the biggest and last of these three surveys, which was conducted in the Batken, Jalalabad and Osh during the autumn of 2008, to analyze in more depth also the causes of statelessness, including possible legal or administrative factors. First drafts of the surveys and their recommendations were already shared and discussed with responsible government agencies, experts and stakeholders at a roundtable on statelessness, which we had the pleasure to host on 4 June 2009 in Bishkek. An informal inter-ministerial and – agency Working Group of experts has since reviewed and elaborated these recommendations and will soon present them to decision makers. The Representation of the UNHCR in the Kyrgyz Republic would like to sincerely thank the non-governmental organizations Centre for International Protection, Ferghana Valley Lawyers Without Borders, Counterpart Sheriktesh, Sairon, Chi Murgab, Adab, Help Refugees, and the Civil Society Support Centre of Karabalta who undertook or supported these surveys, reported and analyzed their findings. We are also most grateful for the strong support and information provided to them by all National, Province and District Departments for Passport and Visa Control of the Ministry of Interior and many other officials and experts. We hope that this report will advance the development and implementation of concrete actions and projects to prevent and reduce statelessness and all the difficulties it creates for individuals, families, communities and the Kyrgyz nation as a whole. Нans Friedrich Schodder Representative of the UNHCR in the Kyrgyz Republic