The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, European Network on Statelessness and Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion Joint Submission to the Human Rights Council at the 25th Session of the Universal Periodic Review Hungary 1 1. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, European Network on Statelessness and Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion make this submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in relation to statelessness, access to nationality and human rights in Hungary. 2. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) is a leading human rights organisation in Hungary focusing on various areas such as detention, access to justice, the rule of law, anti-discrimination, asylum, statelessness and nationality. As an implementing partner of the UNHCR, the HHC is present at all places in Hungary and has assisted several thousands of foreigners in need of international protection in recent years, including stateless persons. The HHC has also gained outstanding international reputation as an expert organisation in various fields of law. It works closely together with state authorities, the UNHCR and the judiciary. It has published two reports on the issue of statelessness in Hungary, in 2010 and 2014 respectively.1 3. The European Network on Statelessness (ENS) is a civil society alliance of NGOs, lawyers, academics and other independent experts committed to addressing statelessness in Europe, Based in London, it currently has 100 members (including 55 organisations) in over 30 European countries. ENS organises its work around three pillars – namely, law & policy, communications and capacity-building. The Network provides expert advice and support to a range of stakeholders, including governments. 4. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (the Institute) is an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting an integrated, human rights based response to the injustice of statelessness and exclusion. Established in August 2014, it is the first and only global centre committed to promoting the human rights of stateless persons and ending statelessness. Its work combines research, education, and advocacy, and it provides expertise to civil society, academia, the UN and governments. 5. This joint submission focuses on the issue of statelessness and access to nationality in Hungary, which has presented a significant challenge to the full enjoyment of human rights in the country for many years. It draws on the multiple years of research, advocacy, awareness raising, litigation and direct support related experience both in Hungary and internationally, of the submitting organisations. Gábor Gyulai, Statelessness in Hungary: The Protection of Stateless Persons and the Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, December 2010, p. 52, available at http://www.refworld.org/docid/4d6d26972.html. Gábor Gyulai, Nationality Unknown? An Overview of the Safeguards and Gaps Related to the Prevention of Statelessness at Birth in Hungary, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, January 2014, pp. 16-17, available at http://www.refworld.org/docid/5310640b4.html.