This case illustrates how the absence of legal recognition of marriages and births has disproportionately affected women and children, creating persistent barriers to accessing rights and essential services. The testimonies documented in this report demonstrate that statelessness gave rise to a range of interconnected restrictions and rights violations affecting education, healthcare, freedom of movement, property rights, and civil registration. The consequences of these policies were also passed on to children and grandchildren, entrenching patterns of legal, social, and economic exclusion that have persisted for more than six decades. Second: Assessing the Implementation of Article 4 of Decree No. 13 of 2026 Article 4 of Decree No. 13 of 2026 represents an important step towards addressing the long-standing consequences of the 1962 Exceptional Census and the statelessness it imposed on hundreds of thousands of Kurds in Syria over several decades. For many victims and affected persons, the launch of the registration process was welcomed as a longawaited opportunity to restore Syrian nationality and secure legal recognition of their rights. At the same time, field monitoring and interviews conducted by Synergy Association for Victims and the Network of Statelessness Victims in al-Hasakah (NSVH) identified a number of encouraging developments alongside practical and procedural challenges that continue to affect the inclusiveness, consistency, and overall effectiveness of the process. 1) Positive Developments Several aspects of the registration process were viewed positively by affected individuals and communities. The establishment of dedicated registration centres enabled thousands of people to submit nationality applications, while the volume of applications received within a short period underscored both the scale of unmet need and the strong demand for legal recognition among those affected. Most interviewees described the registration process as more accessible and straightforward than previous attempts to restore nationality or regularize legal status. Participants also reported that staff in several registration centres were cooperative and responsive, helping applicants navigate the process and address basic procedural questions. These developments helped foster initial confidence in the process and renewed hope among families who had spent decades waiting for a meaningful opportunity to obtain Syrian nationality. Mohammed Youssef Ibrahim described his experience as follows: “This was the easiest attempt so far. The treatment was respectful and positive, especially because the people working at the centre were from the local community rather than outsiders.” SYNERGY | contact@hevdesti.org | www.hevdesti.org Page 10 of 19