EVALUATION OF UNHCR-LED INITIATIVES TO END STATELESSNESS – FINAL REPORT – VOLUME I UNHCR human resources inputs for statelessness work Finding 2: UNHCR has not adequately invested in recruiting and building up a cadre of personnel, particularly national staff to work on statelessness at the operational level. There are relatively few dedicated statelessness staff and the recent closure of the global protection surge capacity roster creates additional gaps. 67. Given the nature of work on statelessness – and the necessary emphasis on relationship-building, capacity development and advocacy – experienced and appropriately skilled personnel are UNHCR’s best asset. The evaluation found, however, that there are few dedicated staff positions on statelessness within UNHCR, other than within the Statelessness Section in DIP (with three posts, often supported by a small number of additional temporary staff), Statelessness Officers in each of the Regional Bureaus and a few dedicated Statelessness Officers working at country level. 49 Analysis of available data from 2015 to 2020 shows the number of UNHCR staff dedicated to statelessness fluctuating between 13 and 20, as shown in Figure 6, with HQ staff representing between 15 and 25 percent of the total over that period. 50 Figure 6 – Dedicated statelessness staff by region and HQ, 2015-202051 Number of staff dedicatd to statelessness 25 20 15 10 5 0 2015 2016 Americas Asia Pacific East Horn Africa 2017 2018 2019 2020 Southern Africa West Central Africa Europe MENA HQ 68. A snapshot of dedicated statelessness staff within UNHCR in 2020 compared with staff covering other areas of protection shows relatively low levels of resourcing (see Table 4). This aligns with the perceptions of a number of interviewees – that statelessness is less likely to be covered by dedicated experts. Table 4 - Dedicated UNHCR staffing for statelessness and other protection areas in 2020 52 Total Number Number in HQ Number in RB Number in CO/MCO Refugee Status Determination Officer 108 3 5 100 Resettlement Officer 87 10 13 64 Community-based Protection Officer 46 1 2 43 Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Officer 40 5 0 35 Child Protection Officer 28 2 1 25 Statelessness Officer 14 3 7 4 Protection Area 69. Global and regional key informants noted frequently that the establishment of the Statelessness Section, and the creation of the regional Statelessness Officer positions, both had a positive influence on integrating and mainstreaming statelessness in UNHCR. Where dedicated Statelessness Officers are in place at country-level, stakeholders noted the benefits, including keeping statelessness high on the institutional agenda, even in the midst of competing demands; more capacity for networking and for more 49 In addition, UNHCR appointed a Special Advisor on Statelessness in 2018 as a temporary role to support the organization for the HLS. This data does not include staff classified as ‘affiliated workforce’ i.e.hired as either consultants or contractors, nor those recruited via other means, for example through the surge deployment roster (see below) or as Junior Professional Officers (JPOs) or UN Volunteers. 51 Data was extracted from Workforce Planning Data records, correct as of 31 October 2020, shared by UNHCR’s Evaluation Service. 52 Data on staffing of all other (non-statelessness) protection areas was shared by the UNHCR Human Resources People Analytics Team on 18 February 2021. Data was extracted from Workforce Planning Data records, correct as of 31 October 2020, shared by UNHCR’s Evaluation Service. The numbers include fixed-term staff only, not including ‘affiliated workforce’ personnel. 50 UNHCR / May, 2021 19