European Network on Statelessness Annual Report 2012/13 Introduction There are an estimated 12 million stateless persons worldwide, including over 600,000 in Europe. Yet statelessness remains a relatively hidden and little understood issue. With both government and civil society organisations often unaware of the problem, many stateless persons find themselves stuck in the margins of society without respect for their basic human rights. The European Network on Statelessness (ENS) was set up against this backdrop and to fill a perceived gap by acting as a coordinating body and expert resource for organisations across Europe who work with or come into contact with stateless persons. No other equivalent pan-European network, platform or forum currently exists to provide this function. ENS is a network of non-governmental organisations, academic initiatives, and individual experts committed to address statelessness in Europe. We believe that all human beings have a right to a nationality and that those who lack nationality altogether – stateless persons – are entitled to adequate protection. We are dedicated to strengthening the often unheard voice of stateless persons in Europe, and to advocate for full respect of their human rights. We aim to reach our goals by conducting and supporting legal and policy development, awareness-raising and capacity building activities. ENS has attracted 70 new members since its public launch in June 2012. This is the first Annual Report of its activities and covers the period from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. This report therefore does not cover the work undertaken to set up the Network prior to April 2012. There is more information on our website at www.statelessness.eu or come and visit us on Facebook: Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@statelessness.eu if you have any questions about the information presented in this report. Chris Nash ENS Coordinator Organisation Do you want to be part of our work? The Network is open to non-governmental organisations, research centres, academics, lawyers and other individual experts who wish to apply for associate membership. Applications are approved by the ENS Steering Committee. Until ENS’s incorporation as an independent body with its own legal identity, the Network is hosted by the UKregistered charity Asylum Aid in London which performs key Secretariat functions including coordination, fundraising, financial management and overseeing the transition to incorporation. The ENS Steering Committee actively supports Asylum Aid in running the Network. The Network was initially set up with modest seed funding from the Open Society Foundations to facilitate Steering Committee meetings and the development of a website. In May 2013 a small one year grant was secured from the Oak Foundation to support core operating costs as the Network seeks to develop and broaden its activities, including through dedicated project fundraising.