protection system, while phasing out the so-called “baby box” (incubator) programme. 9 12. Hungary did not make any pledges at the UNHCR High-Level Segment on Statelessness in October 2019.10 Snapshot of Statelessness in Hungary 13. No comprehensive mapping has been undertaken to understand the population affected by statelessness in Hungary. Very little reliable quantitative and qualitative data exists. However, there are indications that statelessness occurs predominantly in a migratory context and impacts primarily on people with a migrant or refugee background in Hungary. According to official information received from the National Directorate-General for Alien Policing (NDGAP), 76 stateless persons were residing in Hungary on 31 December 2019 as holders of a humanitarian residence permit, refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and holders of a permanent residence permit.11 This figure does not include stateless people with other forms of non-permanent residence permits, such as those based on employment, study, or family reunion. Having a better understanding of statelessness in a country through better data contributes to improved law and policy to protect the rights of stateless persons on the territory, prevent and reduce statelessness, and guarantee the right to a nationality. 14. Hungary has acceded to most relevant human rights instruments and this has translated into some positive law, policy and practice at national level, although some significant gaps remain. 12 A statelessness determination procedure is established in law, and access, assessment, procedural protections and appeal rights under the procedure are generally positive. 13 However, the definition of a stateless person in national law is narrower than the 1954 Convention, applicants under the procedure lack adequate protection, and the law provides only limited rights to people recognised as stateless. 15. Although Hungary has established a statelessness determination procedure, it remains very difficult for stateless persons to acquire Hungarian nationality. Under Article 32 of the 1954 Convention, stateless persons should enjoy the right to facilitated naturalisation, however, one of the requirements stipulated in Hungarian law to be eligible for naturalisation is to possess a “domicile”, i.e. a specific legal status which is not accessible to holders of stateless status (including holders of a humanitarian residence permit or residence permit based on work, study, or family reunion) - unless they obtain a permanent residence permit. Acquisition of a residence permit can take several years, leaving stateless persons who are lawfully staying in the country unable to enjoy their right to facilitated naturalisation. 16. Hungary only partially complies with its duty to guarantee children’s right to a nationality as set out in Article 7 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Safeguards exist in nationality law to prevent statelessness in the case of foundlings and children born 9 Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concluding observations on the sixth period report of Hungary, CRC/C/HUN/CO/6, 3 March 2020. 10 See https://www.unhcr.org/ibelong/results-of-the-high-level-segment-on-statelessness/ 11 Responses by the National Directorate-General for Alien Policing of 16 January 2020, 17 January 2020 and 2 February 2020, to a freedom of information request submitted by the Hungarian Helsinki Committee. 12 https://index.statelessness.eu/country/hungary 13 Ibid. 4