10 Actions to End Statelessness HOW CAN THIS ACTION BE IMPLEMENTED? Reforms to laws which prevent women from conferring nationality to their children on an equal basis as men are necessary to prevent statelessness among children. Such reforms can be enacted with retroactive effect to ensure that those left stateless under previously discriminatory laws are able to acquire a nationality. Lifting reservations to Article 9 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women will also help to achieve the Goal under this Action. Removing gender discrimination against women when it comes to their ability to acquire, change and retain their nationality on an equal basis with men is necessary to protect women against statelessness and unwanted changes in the nationality status. HOW CAN UNHCR HELP? Major activities: 1. Advocate and provide technical advice for reform of nationality laws, policies and procedures to ensure equality between women and men in nationality matters. Where possible, use the opportunity of Constitutional reform processes to achieve these objectives. 2. Work with UN Women, UNICEF, OHCHR and civil society members of the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights. 3. Support initiatives by the legal community to promote equality of women and men in nationality matters, including through strategic litigation aimed at achieving legislative reform or ending the discriminatory application of nationality laws. Build the capacity of legal professionals and the justice sector on statelessness and nationality issues. WHAT EXISTING CIRCUMSTANCES CAN FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACTION? • • • Pledges made by particular States in the context of UNHCR’s 2011 Ministerial Meeting, commitments made in the context of the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council and recommendations made to particular States by UN human rights treaty bodies and special procedures. There is significant forward momentum on this issue. In the past 10 years, 12 States have reformed their laws to achieve compliance with Article 9(2) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women to allow women to pass on their nationality to their children. In 2014, a new coalition of civil society actors and UN Agencies launched the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights. The work of this campaign can complement and support implementation of this Action. WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TO IMPLEMENTING THIS ACTION? • • Discriminatory provisions of nationality laws sometimes reflect prevailing social and/or demographic considerations regarding the role of women which can be difficult to change. Reforms of nationality laws are sometimes difficult to achieve and may require additional reforms to related legislation or the Constitution. 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 15