Action 10: Improve quantitative and qualitative data on stateless populations From 19 to 21 September, in Cambodia, UNHCR facilitated a study visit to Thailand for highlevel officials from the General Department of identification, Ministry of Interior. The visit aimed to strengthen collaboration on civil registration, vital statistics, identification systems, and statelessness. The delegation met with officials from the Thai Ministries of Interior and Justice and observed civil registration activities in Pathum Thani. In the Central African Republic, UNHCR and the U.S Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration are supporting the government’s efforts to map stateless populations and those at risk. This study seeks to assess the extent of statelessness and identify actions to address it. 60 interviewers have been collecting household data since May 2024. In addition, in-depth interviews with various stakeholders are being conducted to gather qualitative data. The initial quantitative data on statelessness is currently being processed by UNHCR. On 4 September, in Thailand, UNHCR and the National Statistical Office (NSO) coorganized a training session on the International Recommendations on Statelessness Statistics (IROSS), attended by officials from the NSO, Ministry of Interior and academia. As Thailand prepares for its 2025 Population and Housing Census, the training emphasized the principle of ‘Leaving No One Behind’ to ensures all individual, including stateless populations, are counted. From 9 to 24 September, in Kenya, UNHCR conducted data collection for a follow-up study on the Shona community to assess the socioeconomic benefits of citizenship for former stateless individuals. The Policy Brief highlights the transformative impact of legal recognition and provides policy recommendations to support the Shona and other stateless communities in Kenya and globally. On 4 September, in Thailand, UNHCR and the National Statistical Office (NSO) co-hosted a training session on the International Recommendations on Statelessness Statistics (IROSS). The session was attended by officials from the NSO, Ministry of Interior, and academic representatives. As Thailand prepares for its 2025 Population and Housing Census, the training emphasized the principle of “Leave No One Behind” to ensure all individuals, including stateless populations, are accounted for. This initiative supports Thailand’s efforts to resolve the nationality status of over half a million stateless individuals. Mobilizing governments and civil society From 23 to 25 September, in Algeria, UNHCR took part in a regional workshop organized by UNFPA, in collaboration with UN ESCWA and the Arab Institute for training and research in statistics. The workshop focused on improving marriage and divorce registration and enhancing the production of vital statistics across the Arab region. In July, in Burkina Faso, UNHCR and the Ministry of Justice held a workshop to identify groups at high risk of statelessness, including unregistered individuals, those lacking birth certificates. Vulnerable populations identified included children, rural residents, conflict zone inhabitants, IDPs, irregular migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, and those of Burkinabe origin abroad or repatriated. On 3 September, Burkina Faso launched new electronic passports in Ouagadougou, led by the Minister of Security. Innovations include online pre-enrolment, enhanced security features, expanded production centres, and improved archiving. On 22 August, in Cameroon, the government hosted a national strategy workshop to strengthen follow-up mechanisms for recommendations from the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) held in Geneva in November 2023. Supported by the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa (UNCHR-AC), the workshop reaffirmed Cameroon’s commitment to human rights and collaboration with international mechanisms. Key accepted recommendations include acceding to the 1954 and 1961 Statelessness Conventions and advancing their domestic implementation. UNHCR > The Campaign to End Statelessness | July – September 2024 Update 5