Nationality and Cases of Statelessness in the Middle East and North Africa they see fit. Rather, this sovereign right is limited in particular cases where statelessness would otherwise result, in the interest of the person concerned and of the world community of states.28 Such limits exist at the level of the United Nations – for instance, on the basis of the right of every child to “acquire a nationality” (Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 7), as well as the prohibition of racial discrimination in the enjoyment of nationality rights (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, article 5diii) and the equal enjoyment of nationality rights by persons with disabilities (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, article 18). Within the United Nations framework, a dedicated instrument has also been adopted to help states to guarantee the right to a nationality and to avoid statelessness: the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. This convention sets out concrete safeguards for states to incorporate into their nationality laws, to ensure that children who would otherwise be stateless are able to acquire a nationality and that, as far as possible, 28 - That the avoidance of statelessness is in the interest of states is evident from the effort that has been taken, since the era of the League of Nations, to agree rules whereby conflicts of nationality laws resulting in statelessness are dealt with. The existence of statelessness presents a challenge for the international community, given certain key international functions of nationality, such as the right to enter and reside in one’s state of nationality. As such, statelessness may lead to issues relating to the territorial integrity of states, but may further impact international relations where it contributes to tension, displacement or conflict. 30