23. More awareness and knowledge among decision-makers was considered necessary with respect to gender discriminatory nationality laws, whereby women do not have equal rights to acquire, confer, or change their nationality. This was particularly relevant in the migratory context given that women from 25 countries around the world still do not have equal rights as men to confer their nationality to their children. It was also stressed that women can face gendered barriers to their ability to acquire civil documentation required for naturalisation or civil registration procedures. Language testing/citizenship testing requirements for naturalisation can also be inherently discriminatory, as women (and their children) can face barriers and disadvantages if tests and procedures are not adapted and responsive to their specific circumstances. 24. Experts stressed the need for improved coordination between different authorities in contact with stateless people (central body with responsibility for the determination procedure, civil registry, detention and return authorities, and others). The need for better tailored information for affected persons was also noted, as well as tools and resources for officials, such as UNHCR’s handbooks, videos, and Refworld resources, as well as those produced by civil society networks such as ENS (e.g., Statelessness Index, (thematic) briefings, analysis). SESSION 2 – PREVENTING AND REDUCING STATELESSNESS IN EUROPE, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF CHILDHOOD STATELESSNESS 25. International law establishes norms for the prevention and reduction of statelessness, including childhood statelessness. This second session aimed to discuss outstanding gaps in these areas, share challenges and practical difficulties and promote good practices. 26. During the meeting, experts underlined that ending statelessness required legal safeguards to be established in national law and implemented in policy and practice, and the involvement of a range of actors. Good practices were identified and referred to in support of efforts to address statelessness. 27. One of the invited speakers explained the practical and legal issues that she had faced and shared the emotional burden faced as a stateless child who grew up knowing only the country in which she was born and had lived most of her life, although she was denied citizenship and a sense of belonging. She called for tools and capacity building to support identification and resolution of statelessness by officials and services providers. I. Implementing principles governing acquisition and deprivation of nationality and related criteria – The role of judges and national authorities “Because my parents were stateless, I have to pay the price” 10 (Lynn Al-Khatib) 10 See testimony of Lynn Al-Khatib. 12