Representatives from the Governments of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan came together in Almaty to discuss implementation of pledges to the Global Compact on Refugees and efforts to end statelessness. ©UNHCR/Aiya Siyaz In Iran, the review of the Bill for the amendment of certain legal provisions pertaining to nationality remains ongoing in the Parliament. Concerns persist regarding its restrictive measures, particularly the five-year residency requirement for children of Iranian mothers and foreign fathers and the stricter criteria for foreign spouses. In response, UNHCR Iran has developed advocacy messages for key governmental bodies, with field office consultations refining targeted recommendations to align national policies with international standards set out in the Global Action Plan to End Statelessness 2.0. Updated figures show that 29,045 Iranian identity booklets (Shenasnameh) have now been issued to children of Iranian mothers and foreign fathers—an increase from the previously reported 26,000 in January 2024 (+12%). On 29 October 2024, in Thailand, the Government approved a Cabinet Resolution to accelerate nationality and legal status applications for longterm residents and children born in its territory. The resolution simplifies procedures and shortens processing times from 180 days to 5 days for nationality applications and from 270 days to 5 days for permanent residency applications—expediting solutions for more than 480,000 registered stateless persons. On 25 November 2024, UNHCR organized an event called ‘Thailand – Making Statelessness History’ to mark the end of the #IBelong campaign to end statelessness and commemorate the launch of the Global Alliance to End Statelessness. Attended by the Deputy Interior Minister, government officials, NGOs, embassies, and UN agencies, the event highlighted Thailand’s commitment following the Cabinet Resolution of 29 October. It also provided a platform for discussions on access to education, social protection, and healthcare for stateless persons. On 2 October 2024, UNHCR’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific held a virtual regional consultation in the Asia-Pacific on efforts to end statelessness, with representatives from 11 countries, including Global Alliance to End Statelessness Member States Thailand, the Philippines, and Australia. The consultation showcased state progress in Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, while providing updates on the Global Action Plan to End Statelessness 2.0, the 2024 High-Level Segment on Statelessness, and the Global Alliance. On 4 October 2024, in Central Asia, UNHCR convened a regional consultative meeting in Almaty on the implementation of pledges to the Global Compact on Refugees and work to end statelessness. The meeting gathered 25 in-person government representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, along with virtual participants from Global Alliance to End Statelessness Member States, including the Philippines and Thailand. UNHCR > The Campaign to End Statelessness | October – December 2024 Update 12