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
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