EVALUATION OF UNHCR-LED INITIATIVES TO END STATELESSNESS – FINAL REPORT – VOLUME I UNHCR activities and promising practices Finding 8: There are good examples of activities at national level that have contributed to positive results in terms of reducing statelessness and the risk of statelessness. UNHCR has placed more emphasis on activities that address the legal and administrative causes of statelessness, and less on political, social, economic, and cultural drivers. While this matches its institutional capabilities, statelessness will not be eliminated without attention to these other fundamental underlying causes. Public advocacy also emerged a gap, particularly at a global level. 103. The evaluation team found many good examples of policy advocacy, development and reform of laws and administrative systems, and direct case work to improve the protection and human rights situation of stateless persons of concern. Examples from case studies are presented in Box 1. 104. Survey respondents were asked to identify the main activities their operations engage in to prevent or eliminate statelessness based on the list of activities for UNHCR contained in the GAP. Analysis of the responses69 shows that advocacy work with national governments, NGOs and CSOs was the most frequent activity, followed by provision of training to increase the capacity of relevant government agencies. Responses varied considerably by region. The frequency of main activities reported by region is shown in Figure 14 (N = 437 UNHCR staff). Figure 14 – Frequency of main activities reported by region 70 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Advocacy work Provision of with national technical support governments, to the national NGOs and CSOs government Africa (N = 157) Provision of training to increase the capacity of relevant government agencies Americas (N = 38) Gathering, Promotion of the Identification of Provision of analysing, and/or exchange of good new statelessness identity or travel sharing available practices in cases documentation for data on stateless resolving stateless people populations with statelessness and/or birth governments registration services Asia and the Pacific (N = 84) Europe (N = 72) MENA (N = 86) 69 A weighted analysis of the results was performed to ensure that country operations with more survey respondents did not skew the analysis of the data. Identification of new statelessness cases and provision of identity or travel documentation and/or birth registration services are the responsibility of States. Some UNHCR operations provide technical assistance to States to support these activities. 70 32 UNHCR / May, 2021