SERBIA SERBIA Like most other countries in the region, those at risk of statelessness in Serbia are primarily from Roma communities. Serbia acceded to the 1954 Convention and the 1961 Convention in 2011, further ensuring that relevant domestic legislation is in line with the two Statelessness Conventions. In 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry for Public Administration and Local Self Government, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia and UNHCR, building a framework for coordinating activities to adopt systemic solutions with regard to late birth registration and access to personal documentation for Roma, as well as raising awareness and capacity of civil servants tasked with birth registration, registration of residence and nationality, and the Roma community in Serbia. “MY ONLY WISH IS FOR MY CHILDREN TO HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AS EVERYONE ELSE, TO GO TO SCHOOL AND TO HAVE DECENT JOBS SOMEDAY.” DRAGAN, FATHER OF BILJANA, 3, SERBIA 24 • ENDING STATELESSNESS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE As a result, several important laws have since been adopted, creating the necessary conditions to reduce and prevent future recurrence of cases of Roma lacking birth registration and/or personal documentation. Collaboration within the MoU led to the harmonization of the practice of registrars, police officers and social workers throughout the country in cases of late birth registration and registration of residence and nationality. The MoU also enhanced cooperation between civil society and the public sector, which has facilitated the resolution of a number of complex cases that had been stuck in administrative limbo for years. In the absence of a law on free legal aid in Serbia, UNHCR has continued to provide funding for legal assistance to the remaining Roma at risk of statelessness supporting them with registering at birth and in obtaining personal documents. Thanks to these efforts, the number of Roma at risk of statelessness has dropped substantially from estimated 30,000 in 2004 to approximately 2,200 in 2018. Biljana was born in Belgrade in 2014. Despite being born in a hospital, Biljana’s birth was never registered. A few months after Biljana’s birth, her father, Dragan, reached out to Praxis, UNHCR’s partner, for help with obtaining a health booklet for her. Without a registered birth, Biljana could not get a health booklet and, consequently, could not get the critically necessary BSG tuberculosis vaccine. Dragan was in the middle of a legal quagmire. Biljana’s mother, Sanela, also had no proof of identity, and therefore could not get legally married with Dragan. Without this documented link to Biljana as her father, Dragan was deemed unauthorized to advocate on Biljana’s behalf. With Dragan’s hands tied, Praxis stepped in to provide much needed legal support. After a lengthy appeal process, the Secretariat for Administration’s decision regarding Dragan’s inability to represent Biljana was overturned by the District Court. Dragan, Sanela, and Biljana are now awaiting the decision as the case is re-processed. While Biljana is on the right path legally, every day spent waiting is a day without healthcare and other social services. Furthermore, if there were to be any sort of emergency, Dragan would be unable to make any decisions on behalf of his daughter. Biljana and her parents remind us that there are human beings behind the complex administrative process of establishing an identity. ENDING STATELESSNESS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE • 25