SUB-REGIONAL OVERVIEW: SOUTHEAST ASIA Further, there is a lack of recent reliable statistics on the stateless population in Brunei,2469 which has no available data on stateless persons without formalised residency.2470 Persons at risk of statelessness Overall, higher rates of civil registration (compared to the Pacific) and less reliance on household registrations (compared to East Asia) should lead to a lower number of persons seen to be at risk of statelessness within Southeast Asia. However, there remains a number of identified groups who remain at risk. In Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and Thailand low rates of birth Pledges to End Statelessness At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF), the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines pledged its commitment to the “protection of stateless persons and persons at risk of statelessness in Sabah, through inter-[National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) Memoranda of Understanding (MoU)] on Statelessness”.2479 The inter-NHRI MoU on Statelessness seeks to improve “policy and operational frameworks to ensure protection of the rights of stateless persons and persons at risk of statelessness in Sabah through cooperation between the National Human Rights Institutions of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines”.2480 It is also intended to enhance coordination and cooperation between the “Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, as an independent NHRI, and the Government of the Philippines in addressing issues of statelessness in Sabah with a human rights-based approach”.2481 Thailand also pledged to “resolve statelessness, with priority being given to children born in 222 SUB-REGIONAL OVERVIEW: SOUTHEAST ASIA registration among certain populations have exposed potentially millions of children to the risk of statelessness,2471 with children of migrant workers and ethnic minorities left especially vulnerable to statelessness.2472 Within the Philippines six population groups have been identified as being at risk of statelessness: indigenous sea-faring Sama Bajau, Persons of Indonesian Descent (the status of most of this population group has been resolved in recent years), foundlings, unregistered children who have been forcibly displaced due to armed conflict and persons of Japanese descent (even though most cases have now been resolved or are in the process of getting resolved).2473 Within Malaysia multiple populations have also been identified including persons who have resided in Malaysia since pre-independence as well as their descendants (including individuals of Tamil ethnicity), children of mixed-nationality marriages (through the impact of gender discriminatory nationality laws), indigenous persons (including mobile maritime populations and Orang Asli communities), refugees and irregular migrants (and their children) in Sabah East Malaysia, as well as persons lacking documentation and foundling children.2474 Thailand” as part of the 2023 GRF.2482 The government set out its objectives for resolving statelessness as: At the High-Level Segment on Stateless in October 2019, both the Philippines and Indonesia made pledges related to the prevention of statelessness.2484 The Philippines committed: 1. 2. 3. 4. STATELESSNESS ENCYCLOPEDIA ASIA PACIFIC (DETAILED VERSION) “Developing, within two years, a national action plan on the reduction of statelessness and the management of forcibly displaced persons in Thailand, with priority given to stateless children, and through collaboration between government agencies, private sector, and civil society”; “Enhancing effectiveness of the systems to facilitate access by stateless persons to civil registration services, with a view to expediting the process for children born in Thailand and the elderly”; “Reviewing existing laws and regulations related to nationality, civil registration and immigration, in order to facilitate access to legal residence, nationality and civic rights, particularly for children born in Thailand; as well as” “Cooperating with UNHCR and joining the Global Alliance to End Statelessness”.2483 Indonesians of Chinese Origin (due to different historical circumstances and legal complications);      To enhance the policy, legal, and operational framework for stateless persons to ensure their full access to rights as guaranteed by the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons including their facilitated naturalization and as may be provided by national laws;2485 To improve access of vulnerable and marginalized populations to documentation through birth and civil registration;2486 To continue the study of statelessness, with a thrust to improve qualitative and quantitative data on populations at risk of statelessness in the Philippines and among its nationals, in continuation of efforts initiated in 2011;2487 To continue the process of accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness;2488 To continue leadership in Southeast Asia in the development of a human rights framework and provide technical support to other States in dealing with issues relating to stateless persons;2489 and some Indonesians of Chinese origin; Indonesians of Indian Origin (due historical and legal reasons); Indonesian migrant workers (who confront documentation challenges or have their citizenship status questioned); exiled Indonesians (who were forced to leave Indonesia for political or other reasons face difficulties re-establishing their citizenship upon their return); and undocumented Chinese Migrants are all populations affected by statelessness in Indonesia.2475 In Brunei, children born to a Brunei citizen mother,2476 indigenous populations including Dusun and Iban populations2477, and foreign wives of citizens as at risk of statelessness.2478  To cooperate with UNHCR by supporting projects, continuing fund contributions, and by building or expanding partnerships.2490 So far, the Philippines has been successful in ratifying the 1961 Convention on statelessness.2491 Indonesia also pledged to:     increase the scope of operation and the provision of infrastructure related to its national citizenship registry;2492 increase the utilisation of a digital platform for citizenship registry and citizenship documentations such as the issuance of birth certificate and single identity number;2493 enhance cooperation with UNHCR in handling refugees and asylum seekers2494, and to work with all countries, particularly the two Statelessness Conventions, to learn together, increase capacities, and exchange technology in addressing statelessness.2495 On this, significant advancements towards these goals are yet to be seen from Indonesia. 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