Executive Summary Children born on Australian soil are not guaranteed Australian citizenship. Citizenship is foundational to a child’s sense of identity and belonging, providing them with fundamental rights. Importantly, for children of stateless refugees it can also offer safety; a place to build a future.xiv There are an estimated 10-15 million stateless people in the world, a third of which are children.xv The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that a child is born into statelessness at least every 10 minutes.xvi Stateless children can face barriers to a range of essential human rights by virtue of not having a nationality, including access to education and healthcare.xvii A significant number of stateless children have been born in Australia.xviii Australian citizenship law seeks to implement Australia’s international legal obligations by providing that a child born on Australian soil to parents who are stateless is eligible for Australian citizenship.xix Although these children have a right to apply for citizenship under Australian and international law, they face significant barriers in navigating this complex process. Many parents are unaware that their child even has an entitlement to apply for citizenship.xx 17