Figure 4.4.11. Proportion of individuals lacking permanent residence registration in the RAE population at
risk of statelessness in Serbia, comparison of 2010, 2015, and 2020 findings (%)
62
47
56
53
40
38
Registered residence
2010
No registered residence
2015
2020
Slightly under one-half of persons at risk of statelessness without permanent residence registration lived in
Belgrade (48 percent), with another one-fifth living in Southern and South-Eastern Serbia and Vojvodina. The
fewest persons at risk of statelessness without a registered permanent residence live in Western Serbia and
Šumadija. Respondents at risk of statelessness without registered residence were more likely to live in slums
(as reported by 27 percent of these individuals) and purpose-made settlements/huts/container housing (29
percent). Nearly one-half of all households with persons at risk of statelessness that have no permanent
residence registration reported having fled Kosovo and Metohija after 1999.
Relative to 2015, persons at risk of statelessness who do have permanent residence registration were now
more likely to say this was their current address (79 percent vs 50 percent in 2015). A total of 16 percent
of those at risk of statelessness now have the local CSW registered as their permanent residence (as
against none in 2015). Another 5 percent have a different address registered as their residence. A significant
73 percent of those polled who are currently registered at a different address reported attempting to
register their current address as their permanent residence but were rejected.
The primary reason why RAE individuals at risk of statelessness lack permanent residence registration is
that they live in unlegalized buildings that are ineligible for registration. This was the explanation given by a
total of 47 percent of those at risk of statelessness without permanent residence registration. The structure
of these reasons has changed relative to previous rounds of the survey, with lack of birth certificates or
certificates of citizenship no longer occupying first place. As many as one-fifth of those surveyed (21 percent)
claimed ignorance of the procedure for registering their permanent residence - 15 percentage points more
than in 2015. This finding reveals the need to continue raising awareness amongst the Roma, Ashkalis, and
Egyptians of the necessity to have all documents and understand the procedures involved, including for
registering their permanent residence to ensure the RAE population is able to exercise all rights that require
registered residence (such as social protection and healthcare).
PERSONS AT RISK OF STATELESSNESS IN SERBIA
OVERVIEW OF CURRENT SITUATION AND THE WAY FORWARD
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