2022
Statelessness & Citizenship Review
4(1)
CONCLUSION
As demonstrated in the case of Australia, it is not enough for states to commit to
reducing statelessness on the global stage if they fail to implement a plan to
meaningfully address the issue domestically. Although Australia is to be
commended for ratifying the 1961 Convention and implementing art1(1) into
domestic law, there is little point in having good legal protections for stateless
children if the very people they are intended to protect do not know about them.
The 60th anniversary of the 1961 Convention provides a poignant time to reflect
on Australia’s commitment to reducing child statelessness to date. Implementing
the ability for Australian-born stateless children to apply for citizenship into
domestic law marks a commendable start. As this commentary has demonstrated,
however, much more must be done to ensure stateless children and their families
are aware of this legal entitlement and are able to access critical legal support when
navigating the application process.
The launch of a new legal clinic to assist stateless children to apply for
citizenship offers an innovative model for meaningfully implementing Australia’s
obligations under art 1(1). In conjunction with a new national network to support
Australian lawyers working with stateless children, and Australia’s first mapping
of the nation’s stateless population, it is hoped that the next 60 years of the 1961
Convention will see a meaningful reduction in child statelessness.
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