Chapter 6
Figure 20 | Number of countries reporting statistics on stateless persons | 2004-2018
19
22
19
54
48
‘05
‘06
21
17
72
17
14
49
21
20
58
65
64
‘10
‘11
60
75
16
17
77
77
‘14
‘15
23
22
18
75
75
‘16
‘17
78
11
30
‘04
‘07
Countries with reliable data
‘08
‘09
‘13
‘18
Countries with known populations without reliable data
framework to achieve the goals of UNHCR’s
#IBelong Campaign, accordingly calls upon States
and others to work to improve quantitative and
qualitative data on statelessness. In addition, Action
6 of the GAP calls for the adoption of statelessness
determination procedures that will lead to new data
in countries hosting stateless migrants. 82
Strengthening of civil registration and vital statistics
systems in accordance with Action 7 of the GAP also
will contribute to the availability of quantitative
data. 83 States are encouraged to make concrete
pledges in one or more of these areas in connection
with the High Level Segment on Statelessness that
UNHCR will convene on 7 October 2019 to mark the
mid-point in the #IBelong Campaign.
UNHCR works with States to undertake targeted
surveys and studies (including participatory
assessments with stateless individuals and groups).
During 2018, a number of new studies were
completed, including for Albania, 84 Switzerland and
the East African community.
Statistics and information on the situation of
stateless populations can also be gathered through
population censuses. It is therefore important to
include questions to allow for the identification of
stateless populations in the 2020 round of
population and housing censuses. UNHCR
operations are collaborating with statisticians and
relevant authorities to include appropriate questions
in upcoming censuses. UNHCR encourages all
52
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States to include questions in censuses that will lead
to improved data on stateless people.
In 2018, progress continued to be made to reduce
the number of stateless people through acquisition
or confirmation of nationality. A reported 56,400
stateless people in 24 countries acquired nationality
during the year, with significant reductions occurring
in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation,
Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and
Vietnam, among other places. In Sweden, for
example, an estimated 7,200 people had their
nationality confirmed in 2018, as did an estimated
6,400 in the Russian Federation.
Many displaced people are also stateless. While the
current reporting methodology generally does not
involve reporting on multiple statuses, in 2017 it was
decided that it was important to report on the
displaced stateless Rohingya population as having
both statuses. Therefore, as was the case last year,
this population is included in both the displaced and
stateless counts. 85 ■
82 Good Practices Paper – Action 6: “Establishing statelessness
determination procedures to protect stateless persons”, 11 July
2016. See: www.refworld.org/docid/57836cff4.html.
83 Good Practices Paper – Action 7: “Ensuring birth registration
for the prevention of statelessness”, November 2017. See: www.
refworld.org/docid/5a0ac8f94.html.
84 The statelessness figure refers to a census from 2011 and has
been adjusted to reflect the number of people with undetermined
nationality who had their nationality confirmed from 2011 to 2018.
85 This includes refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh and IDPs in
Rakhine State, Myanmar.
unhcr > Global trends 2018