DISCRIMINATION IS A KEY CAUSE OF STATELESSNESS Discrimination on the basis of ethnicity; race; religion; age; sex; gender; disability; language; or sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) is one of the main causes of statelessness. Direct or indirect discrimination on these grounds can be found in the nationality laws of more than 80 countries around the world. Even when nationality laws contain no explicitly discriminatory provisions, discrimination in practice can result in additional barriers to access nationality and prevent stateless persons from achieving naturalization. Racial discrimination in nationality laws leading to statelessness is highly visible in some countries such as Myanmar, where the 1982 Citizenship Law excluded the Rohingya and other minority groups from the list of ethnic groups that are eligible for citizenship, rendering them stateless. Other stateless populations affected by discriminatory laws and policies include, for instance, persons of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic, ethnic Kurds in Syria, and Romani populations in Europe. Rohingya father and son in Kutupalong Camp-5, Bangladesh after fire broke out to that camp in June 2022. Photo credits: Abdullah. Gender discrimination in nationality laws is a significant cause of childhood statelessness. There are currently 24 countries which do not allow women to pass on their nationality on an equal basis with men. This can result in statelessness where, for example, the father is stateless, unknown, or unwilling or unable to take the administrative steps needed to confer his nationality. Another 50 countries deny women equal rights with men in their ability to acquire, change or retain their nationality, or to confer nationality on non-national spouses. To read more about "Equality and Non-Discrimination in Nationality Matters" 9