/ Introduction Around the world, tens of thousands of children are unable to attend school or are forced to abruptly abandon their studies, because they lack nationality,4 legal identity,5 or both. Stateless children often face significant barriers to enrolling in formal education systems and the likelihood of these children completing their studies or doing so without significant disruption is slim.6 Over the course of 2023 and 2024, the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion7 led a collaborative effort to gain insight into the specific barriers that prevent or impede access to education for stateless children in different countries around the world. This report draws on those activities, which included extensive desk research on the issue and consultations with organizations working directly with impacted communities,8 as well as with key stakeholders in the education and child rights sector.9 The report further incorporates insights gained through the design and delivery of a month-long awareness raising campaign, dedicated to Childhood Statelessness and Education, undertaken jointly with grassroots organizations that share a common interest in promoting inclusive education for stateless children. Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees every child’s right to a nationality and requires states to take measures to avoid cases of childhood statelessness. Statelessness occurs when a person is “not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law”. It affects millions of children around the world. Nationality often operates as a legal or practical gateway to the enjoyment of other rights. When a child lacks a nationality, this creates a situation of severe disadvantage, vulnerability and marginalisation. Many stateless children also have not had their births registered and cannot access identity documentation. This further undermines the child’s access to other rights. For more: Children | Stateless Hub 6 This report spotlights the range of challenges and obstacles faced by stateless children in pursuit of education. It underscores the pressing need for a fresh and intentional approach to overcome these challenges, if we are to ensure that no child is left behind. It exposes the abandoned hopes and dreams lost because of lack of nationality, but also the resilience and determination that has helped some stateless children to overcome these obstacles. Finally, this report aims to inspire and motivate action by stakeholders working to achieve equitable access to education for all children. This includes states with international obligations to ensure universal education, as well as international agencies and other actors mandated to support the education of all children.

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