THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA “IF I’M NOT EDUCATED, I AM NOBODY.” LIRIJE, 13, FYR MACEDONIA THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA Again, the majority of persons who are stateless or at risk of statelessness in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are Roma living in poverty in informal settlements; the main cause of statelessness among these impoverished, marginalized communities being the lack of universal birth registration. Aside from institutional, systemic exclusion of Roma people, the main obstacles that remain for those trying to obtain citizenship are the complex and costly administrative procedures, evidentiary requirements and lack of uniformity in the implementation. While fYR Macedonia has acceded to the 1954 Convention, it has yet to do so with the 1961 Convention, somewhat limiting the legal framework regarding statelessness. While working with the fYR Macedonian government to implement necessary legal reforms, UNHCR has undertaken widespread efforts to address the problem with the civil society, and provides free legal aid to persons trying to establish national identity. Thanks to the ongoing work of UNHCR and its partner MYLA (Macedonian Young Lawyers Association), namely, intensive advocacy efforts, legal aid, and the support in obtaining necessary documents across borders, 40 per cent of the cases (or 330 persons) identified in 2014 have now been resolved. The extensive work done by the ten Roma Informational Centres around the country, particularly the widespread outreach to the populations most at risk of statelessness, has greatly contributed to this success. In fYR Macedonia, as throughout the region, UNHCR and UNICEF are implementing a joint strategy to strengthen advocacy efforts in addressing childhood statelessness, as well as the capacities of national authorities in the identification and provision of necessary protection to children in need, in line with international standards. Lirije, 13, was born at home, as were five of her seven siblings. Their births were not officially registered, and, as a result, Lirije and her other unregistered brothers and sisters had lived the entirety of their young lives without any official identity. Lirije, who dreams of one day becoming a lawyer or a policewoman, has spent her first 13 years without access to education or basic medical care. Lirije’s parents first tried to register her and her siblings six years ago. Their efforts were halted, however, when they were informed of the need of an expensive DNA matching test for the birth registration and issuance of birth certificates. The family lives in a chronical state of extreme poverty, all of them packed into a makeshift house without windows and doors, and to pay for a DNA test for one, let alone six, children was financially impossible. They were stuck. For over three years, UNHCR and civil society partner MYLA, have been stepping in on behalf of Lirije and her family. MYLA has provided the family with free legal aid and financial support for the myriad administrative costs. With this support, Lirije’s parents were able to navigate the registration process. Three of their six previously unregistered children are now in the birth registry, while the other three are still to be registered. Lirije looks forward to finally being able to go to school to get education to become a leader in her community. To learn more about Lirije and her family, please see: htpps://goo.gl.P6zZy2 18 • ENDING STATELESSNESS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE ENDING STATELESSNESS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE • 19