•
Regional research should be strengthened in order to fill current knowledge
gaps, specifically by developing a harmonised methodology for the
preparation of individual country studies.
Detailed country-studies that present the legal framework and offer an in- depth situation
analysis are needed to better understand how statelessness manifests itself in the region.
A harmonised framework for analysis will help to ensure that country reports contain
consistent, comprehensive and comparable information which can then be used to analyse
cross-cutting regional themes. Such a framework could be built by considering: the
model used by European Democracy Observatory on Citizenship for country studies on
acquisition and loss of nationality in Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco; the UNHCR tool
Statelessness: An Analytical Framework for Prevention, Reduction and Protection;
OHCHR’s The Rights of Non-Citizens booklet and the methodology used by the Open
Society Institute for its study of citizenship laws in Africa.
•
Where common themes are identified, stakeholders should consider the
added value of regional coordination, cooperation and information-sharing
as a complement to a local / national strategy.
The consideration of different situations of statelessness during the meeting led to the
observation that, although there are some common themes, there is also a great diversity
in the background to and situation of the various stateless populations, challenging the
appropriateness of a regional approach. However, cooperating to address the issue at the
regional level does not negate local and national initiatives and can, in fact, provide
significant added value. The region-wide campaign to reform MENA countries’
nationality law to introduce greater gender equality in the enjoyment of nationality rights
was discussed as a prime example of this dual approach and how it can contribute to
concrete successes.
•
Wherever possible, strategic litigation should be pursued to build the body of
jurisprudence in the region on the prevention and reduction of statelessness
and the protection of stateless persons.
The suggestion was also raised that, should such a case emerge, it would be worthwhile
for civil society organizations to bring appropriate cases before the African Commission
on Human and Peoples’ Rights in order to also encourage the further development of
relevant international jurisprudence.
•
Stakeholders should raise the question of statelessness, as appropriate, in the
context of the Universal Periodic Review and UN Treaty Body reporting
mechanisms in order to raise the profile of the issue in the region.
Forthcoming sessions of the Universal Periodic Review mechanism will consider several
MENA countries. Stakeholders can actively track and pursue such opportunities to place
the situation of stateless persons in these countries on the international human rights
agenda. In addition, the periodic reporting processes of the following treaty bodies are
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