operation with other States.172 The States that are parties to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness are required to provide a nationality to children born in their territories if they otherwise would be stateless.173 Significantly, the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, and also the Committee on the Rights of the Child in its recommendations, also refer to the obligation of the state of nationality of the parents to confer nationality on a child born Example from the Philippines— Action plan to end statelessness The Government of the Philippines launched the National Action Plan to End Statelessness on 24 November 2017 with the following action points: (1) resolve existing cases of statelessness, (2) ensure that no child is born stateless, (3) remove gender discrimination from nationality laws, (3) grant protection status and facilitate the naturalization of refugees and stateless persons, (4) ensure birth registration for the prevention of statelessness, (5) accede to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and (6) improve quantitative and qualitative data on stateless populations. The Action Plan was developed to implement the Global Action Plan to End Statelessness 2014-2024, spearheaded by UNHCR. Available at www.unhcr. org/ibelong/global-action-plan-2014-2024/ 172 Human Rights Committee, general comment No. 17 (1989) on the rights of the child (article 24), para 8. 173 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (1961), art. 1; see also joint general comment No. 4 (2017) of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families No. 23 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, para. 26. 44. abroad if he/she would otherwise be stateless.174 96. In seeking to prevent statelessness, States must carefully consider any circumstances that might present a challenge to a child’s ability to procure birth registration. A child born to a foreign national prisoner or detainee may require particular attention, as the mother may not have knowledge of or access to the procedures required to register the child.175 When a child’s identity documents have been acquired in a non-traditional or unlawful manner, States should consider the best interests of the child as a guiding principle and adopt flexible measures to ensure that legitimate documents are procured for each child.176 For example, flexible measures are required concerning many of the approximately 30,000 children who were born in the areas controlled by ISIL in Iraq and Syria. They may be at risk of statelessness because they possess only ISIL-issued birth certificates unrecognized by any State’s Government. Such certificates may be used to establish the date of birth and the parent–child relationship. Notably, the Security Council has also stressed the significance of ensuring universal birth registration, including late birth registration, which should remain an exception.177 174 The 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, art. 4; Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Haiti (2016) (CRC/C/HTI/CO/2-3), para. 26; Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Canada (2012)(CRC/C/CAN/CO/3-4), para. 40; Committee on the Rights of the Child, concluding observations: Cuba (2011)(CRC/C/CUB/ CO/2), para. 30-31. 175 A/HRC/25/28, para. 28. 176 Joint general comment No. 4 (2017) of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families No. 23 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, para. 22. 177 Security Council resolution 2427 (2018) para. 25.