Chapter 1. Introduction reports of country-specific Special Procedures.197 Also, the different thematic Special Procedures hold relevance to statelessness. For instance, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues has identified statelessness as a minority issue, and recommends – inter alia – that states do “not arbitrarily or discriminatorily deny or deprive minorities of citizenship”.198 A number of Special Rapporteurs have furthermore made reference to statelessness specifically in their reports and some of them endorsed the Principles on Deprivation of Nationality as a National Security Measure, which pay attention to arbitrary deprivation of nationality, ensuring everyone’s right to a nationality and the avoidance of statelessness in the specific context of national security and counter-terrorism measures.199 More broadly, the Human Rights Council has proven to be a relevant forum considering preventing and solving statelessness, issuing resolutions relating to the right to a nationality and statelessness, for example calling upon states “to adopt and implement nationality legislation consistent with their obligations under international law with a view to prevent and reduce statelessness among women and children”200 or “to refrain from (..) enacting or maintaining legislation that would arbitrarily deprive persons of their nationality”.201 Another UN instrument of relevance is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes the SDGs.202 Even if these are not legally binding, they are influential and attempt to address the global challenges we face today, including poverty, inequality and climate change. Indeed, “the SDGs have the potential to leverage considerable interest and investment, which go far beyond what human rights players generally have access to”.203 There is, however, no specific SDG or Target that focuses on statelessness as such. Nonetheless, a number of SDGs are relevant to preventing and solving statelessness. In particular, Target 5.1 of SDG 5 on ending all 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 Cf Rachel Brett, ‘Using the UN Human Rights Special Procedures to address statelessness’ (ENS Blog, 1 October 2015) <https://www.statelessness.eu/blog/using-un-human-rights-special-proceduresaddress-statelessness> accessed 4 September 2021. UNGA, ‘Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues. Statelessness: a minority issue’ (20 July 2018) UN Doc A/73/205. The Principles on Deprivation of Nationality as a National Security Measure (2020) < https://www. refworld.org/pdfid/5f3bf26d4.pdf> accessed 4 September 2021, have been endorsed by inter alia the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues; the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence. See also <https://www.institutesi.org/pages/principles-endorsements> accessed 4 September 2021. UNGA, ‘Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council. The right to a nationality: women and children’ (16 July 2012) UN Doc A/HRC/RES/20/4. UNGA, ‘Resolution Adopted by the Human Rights Council. Human rights and arbitrary deprivation of nationality’ (15 July 2016) UN Doc A/HRC/RES/32/5. There are 17 SDGs and 169 associated Targets, which are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNGA Res 70/1 (25 September 2015) A/RES/70/1. ISI, ‘Statelessness, Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Agenda. A Working Paper’ (2017) 42 <www.institutesi.org/SDG_working-paper2017.pdf> accessed 4 September 2021. Intersentia 39