Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion European Network on Statelessness Joint Submission to the Human Rights Council at the 30th Session of the Universal Periodic Review Federal Republic of Germany Introduction 1. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI) and the European Network on Statelessness (ENS) make this joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in relation to statelessness, access to nationality and human rights in the Federal Republic of Germany. 2. The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI)1 is an independent non-profit organisation committed to an integrated, human rights based response to the injustice of statelessness and exclusion through a combination of research, education, partnerships and advocacy. Established in August 2014, it is the first and only global centre committed to promoting the human rights of stateless persons and ending statelessness. Over the past two years, the Institute has made over 20 country-specific UPR submissions on the human rights of stateless persons, and also compiled summaries of the key human rights challenges related to statelessness in all countries under review under the 23rd to the 28th UPR Sessions.2 3. The European Network on Statelessness (ENS)3 is a civil society alliance of NGOs, lawyers, academics and other independent experts committed to addressing statelessness in Europe. Based in London, it currently has over 100 members in 40 European countries. ENS organises its work around three pillars – law and policy, communications and capacity-building. The Network provides expert advice and support to a range of stakeholders, including governments. 4. This joint submission focuses on the protection of stateless persons in Germany, awareness of rights and responsibilities relating to statelessness in Germany, and barriers to birth registration. It draws on the combined expertise of the submitting organisations. The Universal Periodic Review of Germany under the First and Second Cycle (2009 and 2013) 5. Germany was subject to the UPR under the first cycle in 2009 and the second cycle in 2013. During the second cycle, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that because of its decentralised authorities, Germany has different mechanisms for identifying stateless persons, leading to different applications of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, and a subsequent failure to protect stateless persons who remain unidentified.4 The protection of stateless persons in Germany remains an issue as this submission will demonstrate. 1 For more information about ISI, please see the website: http://www.institutesi.org/ For more on the Institute’s UPR advocacy, see http://www.institutesi.org/ourwork/humanrights.php 3 For more information about ENS, please see the website http://www.statelessness.eu/ 4 Human Rights Council, Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 16/21, A/HRC/WG.6/16/DEU/2, April/May 2013, para 88. 2 1