1 CHECK FOR INSTITUTIONAL BLIND-SPOTS We invite states, UN actors, humanitarian groups and other stakeholders to engage in careful introspection, check for institutional blind-spots, and review and reform policies and practices to ensure that stateless people are prioritised, their particular contexts and needs are understood and addressed and they are not excluded or left behind through: • • • • 2 strengthening awareness of the issue at all levels; acknowledging historical failures; collecting and sharing information on statelessness and nationality rights deprivations; and resourcing the enhancement of capacities, collaborations and funding. INCLUDE, CONSULT & ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE We invite activists and NGOs to make their expertise available and those in positions of power, to have open consultation and meaningful and constructive dialogue with affected communities, and commit to including stateless people on equal terms by: • • • • 3 consulting with activists and affected communities; building trust and strengthening solidarity with stateless communities; meeting the needs and priorities of affected communities and ensuring their meaningful participation; and facilitating wider discourse within society and institutions on equality, inclusion and the right to nationality. BUILD BACK BETTER We invite all actors to learn the hard lessons that the pandemic has taught us and invest in fu, ensuring a lasting commitment to breaking down the pervasive injustice, indignity, inequality, deprivation and exclusion that stateless people face, focusing on: • • • • • • STATELESSNESS DOES NOT ONLY EXIST IN HISTORY BUT IS ONGOING, IN REAL TIME AND IN PRACTICALLY EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD. EVEN THOUGH STATELESSNESS INTERSECTS WITH EVERY OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION, IT REMAINS LARGELY UNKNOWN AND MISUNDERSTOOD. THE LARGE STATELESSNESS KNOWLEDGE GAP, EVEN AMONG PROMINENT DEVELOPMENT, MIGRATION, HUMANITARIAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTORS, IS A CHALLENGE AND BURDEN FOR STATELESS PEOPLE LIKE ME, GLOBALLY. WE ARE NOT JUST A COLLECTION OF STORIES. WE ARE OUR OWN ADVOCATES AND EXPERTS THROUGH OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES. THIS REPORT RECOGNISES STATELESS PEOPLE AS LEADERS WHO MUST SHAPE THE VISION AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE PRIORITIES THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR LIVES, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES. THE ROADMAP OFFERS A WAY FORWARD FOR OUR ALLIES TO CHECK THEIR STATELESSNESS BLIND-SPOTS, CENTRE US IN THEIR ACTIONS AND BE ACCOUNTABLE US WHEN DELIVERING THEIR MANDATES. WE CANNOT END STATELESSNESS BY OURSELVES. TOGETHER WE MUST WORK TO ENVISION A WORLD WHERE NOBODY IS DEPRIVED OF NATIONALITY BASED ON THEIR RACE, ETHNICITY, SEX, GENDER, OR RELIGION. A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE’S HUMAN RIGHT TO NATIONALITY IS PROTECTED AND UPHELD, AND WHERE STATELESSNESS IS TRULY RELEGATED TO THE HISTORY BOOKS. KARINA AMBARTSOUMIAN-CLOUGH, FOUNDING MEMBER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED STATELESS implementing reforms to address discriminatory laws, policies and practices; redressing the intergenerational disadvantage and legacy of statelessness; being accountable to stateless communities and activists; monitoring the performance and progress of states; ensuring access to justice and reparations for stateless people; and sustainably investing in inclusive societies. CESF Consortium, 'Together we Can: The COVID-19 Impact on Stateless People & A Roadmap for Change,' (2021), available at: . For more information about the CESF Consortium, see: . ISI Monthly Bulletins and other key resources can be viewed here: https://www.institutesi.org/resources. 4 See further Chapter on Right to Nationality, Documentation and Legal Status, Chapter on Right to Health, Chapter on Socio-Economic Rights and Chapter on Civil and Political Rights in Part 2 of 'Together We Can: The COVID-19 Impact on Stateless People and Roadmap for Change,' (2021), available at: . 5 Right to Nationality & Citizenship Network and DAJI, ‘Marginalised and Impoverished in Assam: A study into the exclusion of those at risk of statelessness in COVID-19 responses and social security provision’, (2021), available at: https://drive. . 6 Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, ‘The World’s Stateless: Deprivation of Nationality’, (2020), available at: . 7 Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, ‘Stateless in a Global Pandemic: Impact Report’, (2020), available at: . 8 Right to Nationality & Citizenship Network and DAJI, ‘Marginalised and Impoverished in Assam: A study into the exclusion of those at risk of statelessness in COVID-19 responses and social security provision’, (2021), available at: https://drive. . 9 BBC News, ‘Statelessness in Assam’ BBC News, (16 December 2019), available at: . 10 S. Purkayastha, ‘Before COVID, Chakma, Hajong tribes of Arunachal battled stormy migration’, The Federal, (4 May 2020), available at: https://thefederal.com/covid-19/before-covid-19-chakma-hajong-tribes-of-arunachal-battled-a-stormy-migration/. 11 See further Chapter on Rohingya in Refugee Situations in Part 3 of this report. 12 Worldometer, ‘India,’ Worldometer, (2021), available at: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/india/. 13 Right to Nationality & Citizenship Network and DAJI, ‘Marginalised and Impoverished in Assam: A study into the exclusion of those at risk of statelessness in COVID-19 responses and social security provision’, (2021), available at: . 14 J. Holder, ‘Tracking Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World,’ New York Times, (3 May 2021), available at: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html. 15 Right to Nationality & Citizenship Network and DAJI, ‘Marginalised and Impoverished in Assam: A study into the exclusion of those at risk of statelessness in COVID-19 responses and social security provision’, (2021), available at: . 16 Business Today, ‘Coronavirus: Supreme Court orders release of prisoners to decongest jails,’ Business Today, (23 March 2020), available at: https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/coronavirus-supreme-court-orders-release-of-prisoners-to-decongest-jails/story/398982.html. 17 Express News Service, ‘Coronavirus: SC orders release of those lodged in Assam detention centres for 2 yrs or more’ The Indian Express, (14 April 2020), available at: https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/assam/coronavirus-supremecourt-orders-release-of-those-lodged-in-assam-detention-centres-for-2-yrs-or-more-6361305/. 18 Mamiran Nessa, 43, mother of three, was detained in 2010 after an FT declared her a ‘foreigner’ despite lack of legal representation. Her daughter had to drop out of school to take care of the household in Mamiran’s absence. Her youngest son was 1 2 3 a long-standing impact on the family that they are still struggling with which has been exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 19 The Constitution of India (1949), available at: . 20 The Citizenship Act of India (1955), available at: . 21 Ibid. 22 S.Kakarala, D. Prakash, and M. Tiku, ‘India and the challenge of statelessness: A review of legal framework to nationality’, (National Law University, Delhi Press 2012), available at: . 23 Ibid. 24 Ibid. 25 Right to Nationality & Citizenship Network and DAJI, ‘Marginalised and Impoverished in Assam: A study into the exclusion of those at risk of statelessness in COVID-19 responses and social security provision’, (2021), available at: . 26 Livelaw News Network, ‘Assam: Children Born After Dec 3, 2004 Not To Be Included In NRC If Any Of The Parent Is A ‘D’ Voter, Declared Foreigner Or Pending Case,’ Livelaw News Network (13 August 2019), available at: https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/assam-nrc-children-born-after-december-3-2004-dv-df-pft-147161. 27 Right to Nationality & Citizenship Network and DAJI, ‘Marginalised and Impoverished in Assam: A study into the exclusion of those at risk of statelessness in COVID-19 responses and social security provision’, (2021), available at: . 28 CESF Consortium, 'Together we Can: The COVID-19 Impact on Stateless People & A Roadmap for Change,' (2021), available at: . 24