W H Y D O STAT E L E SS P E R SO N S NEED PROTECTION? T he Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that “everyone has the right to a nationality”, thereby acknowledging the legal and practical importance of nationality for the enjoyment of human rights. Governments must therefore work to make certain that everyone holds a nationality. Despite this and other provisions of international human rights law, many people never acquire or are deprived of their nationality. When some people remain excluded, their statelessness leaves them vulnerable. Because they lack the bond of nationality with any State, stateless persons need special attention and protection to ensure that they are able to exercise their rights. Stateless people are often without a legal status and feel left out of society. The Galjeel, are a sub-clan of Somali descent and have lived in Kenya since the late 1930s. For decades, the Galjeel held Kenyan ID cards, participated in local and national elections, owned businesses and enjoyed full access to State services. But in 1989 the government introduced a screening system to identify irregular migrants from Somalia. During this process, the authorities confiscated most forms of identification that linked the Galjeel to Kenya. Many became stateless, losing the rights they had enjoyed for decades. Here, a Galjeel boy plays in an abandoned school. Most children in the community do not go to school. 2 Protecting the Rights of Stateless Persons UNHCR /G. CONSTANTINE For instance, a particular concern for stateless persons is the difficulty that they face in obtaining identity and travel documents, which not only impedes their ability to travel, but can also cause many problems in day-to-day life and may in some cases lead to the prolonged detention of the individual. Statelessness prevents people from fulfilling their potential and may have severe knock-on effects for societal cohesion and stability. It may even cause communal tensions and displacement. Promoting recognition and enhancing protection of stateless persons are means to respond to such concerns.