on Belonging and Legal Identity,96 the Declaration of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region on the Eradication of Statelessness97 and the N’Djamena Initiative on the Eradication of Statelessness in Central Africa.98 The UN General Assembly has also “welcome[d] the global campaign to end statelessness within a decade” launched by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 2014 and “encourage[d] all States to consider actions they may take to further the prevention and reduction of statelessness”.99 B. The prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality As reflected in the 2009 Report of the Secretary General on human rights and arbitrary deprivation of nationality, the minimum content of the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality is that withdrawal of nationality conforms to what is prescribed by law; be the least intrusive means of achieving a legitimate purpose; and follow a due process. Each of these elements will be discussed in paragraphs 92-108 below.100 Examples of arbitrary deprivation of nationality include the automatic withdrawal of nationality for an entire ethnic group through a judicial, legal or administrative action; the withdrawal of a person’s nationality without a fair trial before a court or independent body; and the denial of acquisition of nationality on discriminatory grounds. Withdrawal of nationality must take place in accordance with the law The prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality requires that any withdrawal of nationality by a State must have a clear basis in law. This element of the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of nationality is reflected in Article 8 of the 1961 Convention.101 The legislation in question must sanction the State’s ability to withdraw nationality and be sufficiently precise so as to enable citizens to reasonably foresee the consequences of actions which trigger a withdrawal of nationality. As a matter of good practice, domestic legislation on withdrawal of nationality should, at a minimum, have safeguards equivalent to those found in the 1961 Convention.102 States may apply legislation pertaining to withdrawal of nationality that is in force at the time that the individual commits the act or omission giving rise to the withdrawal 96 Arab Declaration on Belonging and Legal Identity, 28 February 2018, https://www.refworld.org/docid/5a9ffbd04.html. 97 Declaration of International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Member States on the Eradication of Statelessness, 16 October 2017, CIRGL/CIMR/DEC/15/10/2017, https://www.refworld.org/docid/59e9cb8c4.html. 98 N'Djamena Initiative on the Eradication of Statelessness in Central Africa, 12 December 2018, https://www.refworld.org/docid/5c2f3f8b4.html. 99 UNGA Res. 70/135, 23 February 2016, para. 12. 100 See e.g., Human Rights Council, Human rights and arbitrary deprivation of nationality: Report of the Secretary-General, 14 December 2009, A/HRC/13/34, 14 December 2009, para. 25. 101 See paragraph 72 above. 102 See Part II above for a detailed outline of the standards in the 1961 Convention. UNHCR > GUIDELINES ON STATELESSNESS NO.5 28