The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion and Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain Joint Submission to the Human Rights Council at the 27th Session of the Universal Periodic Review The Kingdom of Bahrain Introduction 1. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (the Institute), and Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) welcome the opportunity to make this submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in relation to statelessness, access to nationality and human rights in The Kingdom of Bahrain (Bahrain). 2. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (the Institute)1 is an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting an integrated, human rights based response to the injustice of statelessness and exclusion. Established in August 2014, it is the first and only global centre committed to promoting the human rights of stateless persons and ending statelessness. Its work combines research, education, and advocacy, and it provides expertise to civil society, academia, the UN and governments. 3. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) fosters awareness of and support for democracy and human rights in Bahrain and the Middle East.2 It works on a variety of human rights issues including statelessness and the arbitrary deprivation of nationality. ADHRB’s reporting is based primarily on its United Nations (UN) complaint programme, by which it works directly with victims of human rights violations, their family members, and/or their lawyers on the ground in the region to document evidence of abuses for submission to UN Special Procedures. 4. This joint submission focuses on statelessness and the arbitrary deprivation of and access to nationality in Bahrain, which has presented a significant challenge to the full enjoyment of human rights in the country for many years. It draws on years of research, advocacy, awareness raising and direct support related experience both in Bahrain and internationally, of the submitting organisations. 5. This submission highlights challenges in the realisation of the right of every person to a nationality in Bahrain, and the increased practice of arbitrarily depriving individuals of their nationality. It will highlight three main issues: the enduring problems of the stateless Bidoon and Ajam in Bahrain, which are yet to be resolved, discrimination against women in nationality legislation, and the discriminatory and arbitrary practices of Bahraini authorities in the deprivation of nationality. All three of these issues are either prolonging or creating cases of statelessness in this country. In light of the increasing number of persons affected in Bahrain, and the importance of the 1 2 For more information see http://institutesi.org/ For more information see http://www.adhrb.org/