COALITION ON EVERY CHILD’S RIGHT TO A NATIONALITY Why are minority children vulnerable to statelessness? What is the impact of statelessness on minority children? Minority children are often disproportionately affected by problems of statelessness as a result of discrimination. Statelessness often occurs as a result of direct discrimination. Stateless minorities may face discriminatory persecution from others, as well as being impacted by discriminatory laws and practices. Minority children can be at a heightened risk of statelessness, for example where the law permits grant of nationality but where local authorities discriminate and fail to issue birth certificates to particular groups on the basis of their minority status, which may later result in difficulties proving entitlement to nationality. “We always had to hide on the way to school. If we said we were Muslim they would beat us”. Stateless minorities may also face indirect discrimination, for instance requiring a birth certificate for school enrolment can discriminate against minority children who do not possess or have been denied such certificates. Direct discrimination can also lead to deprivation of nationality resulting in statelessness. For example, in 1962, between 160,000 and 300,000 Syrian Kurds were denaturalized because of their ethnicity by a special census ordered by decree, which also affected thousands of children. Stateless minority children are particularly vulnerable because of the compounding effects of lack of documentation, discrimination, and their status as children. They are often prevented from accessing key child rights such as education, healthcare and the freedom to simply be children – to feel secure, play and explore. Stateless minority children may have to work from a young age, live in insecure housing arrangements or suffer harassment. Direct discrimination : Being treated less favourably Indirect discrimination : Being put at a disadvantage by because of the background or characteristics of a a particular provision, criterion or practice that applies to particular person/ group. everyone but disadvantages a particular person/ group and cannot be objectively justified. - Yasin, 10, Myanmar © UNHCR/Tarmizy Harva 6 M I N O R I T Y C H I L D R E N A N D S TAT E L E S S N E S S M I N O R I T Y C H I L D R E N A N D S TAT E L E S S N E S S 7