Leaving No One Behind: Statelessness and the Sustainable Development Goals ! E) The socioeconomic impact of the resolution of statelessness on the Shona Community in Kenya The Shona community of Kenya comprises a few thousand people whose ancestors arrived in Kenya from modern-day Zimbabwe and Zambia between the 1950s and 1970s as missionaries for the Gospel of God Church founded in 1932 in what was then Southern Rhodesia.53 In the past, the Shona community were registered and issued identity documents in Kenya as “aliens” but these expired and at a certain point could no longer be replaced. They continued to live in Kenya without recognition as Kenyans and those who sought recognition from the Zimbabwean government were also refused passports. In 2019, a survey jointly conducted by UNHCR and the World Bank found that over half of the Shona community (53 per cent) live below the national urban poverty line, compared to 29 per cent of the broader urban population and 36 per cent of all Kenyans (urban and rural). In addition, although access to primary education was similar for the Shona community compared to Kenyan citizens, the difference was pronounced at secondary level, where in urban areas recognized citizens are almost twice as likely to be attending school as their Shona peers (50 per cent vs. 28 per cent). Among those who were employed, nearly 8 in 10 Shona were self-employed compared to only 3 in 10 among citizens, reflecting the difficulty of entering the formal employment market without recognized citizenship.54 Following the recognition in principle, in 2021, of the rights of the Shona to acquire Kenyan citizenship, 1,670 stateless Shona were naturalized and issued identity documents.55 A follow-up socioeconomic survey, conducted in 2024 demonstrated key improvements in the quality of life, after the Shona had acquired nationality and the critical link between citizenship, social inclusion and the socioeconomic situation.56 Financial inclusion surged, with the percentage of Shona with bank accounts increased from 9 per cent in 2019 to 35 per cent in 2024, while mobile wallet usage surged from 52 per cent to 97 per cent. Health insurance coverage also rose, from 4 per cent in 2019 to 11 per cent in 2024. Acquiring citizenship also reduced harassment by law enforcement and opened opportunities for increased employment and mobility. Access to public services was seen to be a key driver of these improvements, with increases in school attendance especially among older age groups who had been previously excluded. It is evident that citizenship has transformed the Shona community by granting access to essential rights and services and enabling formal economic participation. This transformation is visible already after a relative short period (3-4 years) since the acquisition of nationality. To sustain these gains, continued support is necessary to address persistent disparities and ensure sustainable growth. Kenya’s experience with the Shona demonstrates that inclusive citizenship policies can drive social cohesion and economic development. 53. Bronwen Manby, “Citizenship and statelessness in the East African community” (Geneva: UNHCR, November 2018), www.refworld.org/ docid/5bee966d4.html. 54. UNHCR and World Bank, “Understanding the socioeconomic conditions of the stateless Shona Community”; see also, Kenya Human Rights Commission, “African missionaries in identity limbo”. 55. “UNHCR applauds Kenya’s decision to resolve the statelessness of the Shona and other communities”, UNHCR, 14 December 2020 www.unhcr. org/news/press/2020/12/5fd733664/unhcr-applauds-kenyas-decision-resolve-statelessness-shona-other-communities.html; Bernard Mugendi, “End of statelessness for the Shona in Kenya: the Journey towards Citizenship” (blog post), Kenya Human Rights Commission 12 January 2021 https://citizenshiprightsafrica.org/end-of-statelessness-for-the-shona-in-kenya-the-journey-towards-citizenship/; “Shona Kenya’s newest tribe as 1,649 granted citizenship”, The Daily Nation (Nairobi), 30 July 2021 https://nation.africa/kenya/news/shona-kenya-s-newest-tribe-as-1-649-grantedcitizenship-3491820. 56. UNHCR Policy Brief- From Stateless to Citizens: the journey of the Shona community in Kenya, October 2024. Full report forthcoming 2025. 27