EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background • Stateless individuals hold no nationality, and thus are not recognized by any state. Statelessness is a global phenomenon, affecting millions of people worldwide and leading to serious violations of human rights. • Statelessness is known to be a prominent phenomenon in Lebanon, having been present throughout the country’s history. Since the establishment of Greater Lebanon in 1920, successive authorities have failed to provide sustainable solutions for stateless individuals. • Very little literature has been published on the topic in Lebanon, but in 2019, an innovative study conducted in the city of Tripoli by Siren Associates and MARCH, a local NGO, spearheaded research on statelessness in the country. The study estimated that there are around 2,200 stateless individuals in Tripoli and its surrounding areas, and 27,000 stateless individuals nationwide. Previous national estimates ranged between 80,000 and 200,000 stateless individuals . • Replicating the promising Tripoli experience, Siren Associates, in partnership with UNHCR, undertook a new mapping exercise based on extensive fieldwork. This time, the study aimed at understanding the causes, consequences and social impact of statelessness in Akkar, which previous studies had indicated as having among the largest numbers of stateless persons in Lebanon. The process involved contacting 180 key stakeholders and conducting 1,102 surveys, which led to the direct identification of 4,088 stateless persons. • The study found that there are seven main hotspots of statelessness in the governorate, with a few cases scattered across other rural areas. Wadi Khaled appears as the major hotspot in Akkar, accounting for almost 50% of the total number of identified stateless individuals. The second largest hotspot is Sahel Akkar, a rural border region that is known to be one of the poorest in the governorate. People and places • The stateless population in Lebanon can be divided into two main categories: those who are “under-study” (Qayd El Dares, QeD), and those who are not registered (Maktoum El Qayd, MeQ). • The under study (QeD) status is conferred by the state to a group of stateless persons. They are considered by the Lebanese authorities to be of foreign origin and with undetermined nationality, regardless of any historic or cultural roots in the country. Their situation remains under review by the relevant security services. • The Maktoum el Qayd (MeQ) is a term used to describe persons who are not registered in any official civil registry. This group includes persons born to a stateless father or unknown parents (referred to in this study as “inherited”), or born to parents with a known nationality but who failed to register their child’s birth within the one year deadline, after which births can only be registered through a lengthy and costly court procedure (referred to in this study as “nonregistered”). Source: OCHA. (2019). Akkar Governorate profile © 2021 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.