The Campaign to End Statelessness July – September 2020 Update #IBelong Join us in our Campaign to End Statelessness Mobilizing governments and civil society On 23 September, in line with the core themes of this year’s UN General Assembly (Beijing +25 and UN’s anniversary), UN Women, UNDP, UNHCR, the Commonwealth and the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights co-sponsored a High Level Side-Event on Achieving Gender Equality in Nationality Laws. UN Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia, speaking also on behalf of cosponsors UNDP and UNHCR, emphasized that eliminating gender discrimination in nationality laws is a peace and security imperative, as well as a human rights and development issue. The Ministers of Justice of Eswatini and Togo discussed their countries’ current efforts to ensure equal nationality rights for women and prevent statelessness. Eswatini noted the pledge it made at the High-Level Segment on Statelessness in this regard. Highlighting the importance of gender equality in nationality laws to individuals’ and countries’ wellbeing, Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt. Hon Patricia Scotland emphasized that gender Panelists of a General Assembly Side-event called on States to put an end to gender discrimination in nationality laws. 1

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