10 Actions to End Statelessness HOW CAN UNHCR HELP? Major activities: 1. Promote international standards relating to non-discrimination, the right to a nationality and the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality. 2. Identify situations of direct or indirect discrimination which have or could lead to individual or mass denial or deprivation of nationality. 3. Undertake timely interventions with relevant government ministries and parliaments to prevent future instances of denial, loss and deprivation of nationality, or if it has already occurred, for restitution of nationality, in accordance with Action 1. This includes: • • Advocating and providing technical advice for reform of nationality laws with provisions that permit denial, loss or deprivation of nationality on discriminatory grounds. Where possible, use the opportunity of Constitutional reform processes to achieve these objectives; Supporting restitution of nationality to refugees and returning migrants, including in the context of tripartite agreements governing voluntary repatriation of refugees between the States concerned and UNHCR. 4. Coordinate with other UN Agencies and regional human rights bodies to intervene in instances of denial, loss and deprivation of nationality on discriminatory grounds. 6. Support initiatives by the legal community aimed at achieving legislative reform or ending the discriminatory application of nationality laws, including through strategic litigation. Build the capacity of legal professionals and the justice sector on statelessness and nationality issues. WHAT EXISTING CIRCUMSTANCE CAN FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACTION? • • Virtually all States are party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination or the Convention on the Rights of the Child, among other international human rights treaties, which along with Article 9 of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and customary international law, provide for the principle of nondiscrimination, including in nationality matters. Recommendations made to particular States in the context of the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council and by the UN human rights treaty bodies and special procedures. WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TO IMPLEMENTING THIS ACTION? • • Prevailing social views regarding ethnic, racial, religious or other minorities may be difficult to change. Discrimination may be linked to underlying issues relating to land and resources, which may also need to be resolved. 5. Provide information, legal advice and legal aid to affected populations, assist with monitoring of restitution of nationality and implementation of reformed nationality laws. U N H C R > G LO B A L AC T I O N P L A N TO E N D S TAT E L E S S N E S S : 2 0 1 4 – 2 0 2 4 17