Introduction 1. The Global Movement Against Statelessness (GMAS) and the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI) welcome the opportunity provided by the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, to contribute to her final report to the Human Rights Council. This joint submission is made on behalf of HRDs working to promote the right to a nationality and the rights of stateless people across the globe, including organisations and initiatives led by HRDs who themselves are stateless or from stateless communities, including Citizenship Affected People’s Network (CAPN) in Nepal, Warsheh in Syria, added by way of Annexes, and other organisations which will remain anonymous in this submission due to safety concerns. 2. This joint submission focuses in particular on the risks they face, the protection gaps that persist, and recommendations on measures required to ensure their safety and recognition. Contributions of HRDs working on statelessness 1. Statelessness refers to the condition of not being recognised as a national by any country, which affects millions worldwide and results in the denial of basic rights and services. Protecting the right to a nationality is therefore essential to realising other human rights and countering systemic discrimination. 2. The contributions of HRDs working on statelessness are essential to the advancement of equality, human rights and sustainable development. At the local and national level, HRDs provide direct support to affected communities while advocating for legal and policy change by putting at risk their own safety. They assist individuals navigate discriminatory documentation systems, raise awareness on rights, support access to essential services and accompany them along the way with empowerment, trauma-informed practices and trust. In many contexts, they have been at the forefront of campaigns to reform nationality laws, including those that discriminate on the basis of gender or ethnicity, often securing commitments to reform. 1