Statelessness in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Gender Discrimination beyond Nationality Law Betsy L. Fisher Statelessness Working Paper Series No. 2015/01 Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion December 2015 Author biography Betsy L. Fisher is a U.S.-trained attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). This paper reflects solely her own views. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, and M.A. in Middle Eastern and North African Studies from the University of Michigan and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Denison University. Author email betsy.l.fisher@gmail.com Keywords causes of statelessness – gender discrimination – birth status discrimination – civil registration – paternity – marital status – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abstract Looking at the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, this article discusses three ways in which discrimination in the basis of gender and birth status can create statelessness—beyond nationality law. First, preventing civil registration on the basis of birth status creates a strong risk of statelessness for non-marital children. Second, discrimination against women and non-marital children also limits avenues to verify the paternity of non-marital children. Finally, governmental restrictions that prevent citizens from marrying foreigners can lead to statelessness because children born to forbidden unions may be treated as non-marital children.