DEVELOPMENT AND JUSTICE INITIATIVE – BUILDING A NATIONALITY NETWORK IN INDIA The Development and Justice Initiative (DAJI) works to empower marginalised communities (stateless, at risk of statelessness, refugees, displaced and minorities) in India to access rights and services and protect their freedoms. DAJI offers community mobilisation, education, training, humanitarian support, campaigning, network building and advocacy initiatives to sensitise officials and strengthen rights protection. Scoping and Action Awards (EUR 25,000) READ MORE ON COVID-19 The project aimed to empower communities at risk of statelessness to access IMPACTS IN INDIA HERE COVID-19 relief, social protection services and legal aid. DAJI also helped launch the Right to Nationality and Citizenship Network (RNCN) during the scoping phase of the project. In 2019, more than 1.9 million people, predominantly of Bengali ethnicity, were excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) nationality verification exercise, and deprived of their nationality. Many of them were subsequently excluded from COVID-19 relief. RNCN and DAJI undertook several documentation, research and advocacy efforts related to inclusive COVID-19 responses and social security; the child’s right to nationality and NRC inclusion and on fair and just trial procedures before Foreigners Tribunals. The project engaged and advocated with several stakeholders, including the Office of the NRC Coordinator in Assam, the National Human Rights Commission and UN agencies including UNHCR and UNICEF. DAJI developed a report and film documenting the impact of COVID-19 on stateless people as key advocacy and awareness raising materials. Impact • Strengthened community mobilisation to support more than 5,000 stateless people to access COVID-19 relief by working with health service providers, authorities and elected representatives, and providing health service providers with the personal protection equipment and sanitisers they lacked. • Rapid response to flooding that led to the displacement of over 10,000 people and created the risk of loss of documentation for stateless people. Their documents were scanned and safely stored electronically. • 85 families impacted by statelessness, detention and loss of livelihoods were supported by direct humanitarian relief including food, sanitisers and PPE. • More than 55 people fighting their cases before Foreigners Tribunals were given free legal support. • More than 800 individuals without the required documentation were supported to get vaccinated. • Three released detainees were supported to successfully challenge rigid police reporting requirements. • 55 elected representatives in local government were trained on their role to ensure community members have access to COVID-19 response schemes and social security schemes. • Four trainings were provided to strengthen lawyers’ capacity in relation to the discrimination and procedural issues they face, and how to document these for advocacy purposes. • A survey was conducted in fifteen villages in Assam, through which it emerged that close to 70% of children aged 5-18 did not have birth certificates. This was raised with UNICEF and UNHCR. Future Plans DAJI will continue to expand its archive of oral testimonials of stateless people narrating their experiences of discrimination and arbitrariness in the citizenship verification processes. It will continue to provide legal aid and training to support those impacted by statelessness and facilitate awareness raising campaigns and advocacy. With sustained funding, DAJI will be able to continue to lead the fight for a just citizenship regime in Assam. 12