Why we should collect official sta�s�cs on statelessness Data gaps UNHCR Global Trends (2019)5 reported a global number of 4.2 million stateless persons, including those of undetermined na�onality. The true extent of statelessness is es�mated to be much higher, as fewer than half of all countries in the world submit any data and some of the most populous countries in the world with large suspected stateless popula�ons do not report on statelessness at all. People who do not have proof of their legal iden�ty may be at risk of statelessness. The number of people in the world who are unable to provide official proof of their na�onality is es�mated to be around 1 billion people6 globally, and 47% of those are children without a birth cer�ficate.7 This suggests that many more people are at risk of statelessness than those currently iden�fied as stateless globally. A significant difference between confirmed and es�mated global numbers 4.2M KNOWN STATELESS 10M ESTIMATED STATELESS 1 BILLION ESTIMATED NOT TO HAVE IDENTIFICATION compared to that used in previous years, rather than an actual increase in the number of stateless persons. Improvements in methodology worldwide could be expected to result in a significant increase in the number of people known to be affected by statelessness globally. Weaknesses in the current data likely mean the interna�onal community is unable to accurately report and es�mate the numbers of people who are either stateless or of undetermined na�onality. A 2019 study on statelessness in Côte d’Ivoire jointly undertaken by, among others, the Ivorian Government, UNHCR, UNICEF and UNFPA increased the Ivorian Government’s numbers of stateless persons on its territory from 692,000 in 2018 to 955,400 in 2019, an increase of almost 40%. This increase reflects improved methodology used in the study Bosnia and Herzegovina. A Roma woman and her child who was at risk of statelessness showing birth and ci�zenship cer�ficates © UNHCR/Midhat Poturovic 5