EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • Like in Tripoli, 85% of stateless individuals in Akkar are not registered (MeQ). However, discrepancies stand out when looking at sub-groups within the broader MeQ category. For example, a majority of the Tripoli stateless are “nonregistered”, while almost half of those in Akkar belong to the “inherited” sub-category. For the latter, their belonging to this category is often related to historic factors, such as their descendants not being registered in the 1932 census. Causes and consequences • In Lebanon, stateless persons are granted some limited rights based on their formal status, mostly through relevant identification documents, such as the ta’arif cards or certificates (granted by mukhtars) or a Qayd el Dares/under-study card. These rights include accessing healthcare (at their own expense) and seeking education. Holders of Qayd el Dares cards benefit from additional rights, such as being able to own movable goods and access employment, provided they receive authorization from the Ministry of Labor. • Stateless individuals in Akkar have also developed coping mechanisms and informal workarounds to ensure their freedom of movement and ability to access property. This is dissimilar to the Tripoli context. They also face fewer security threats than stateless persons in Tripoli, who were found to face higher levels of day-to-day violence. • The study showed that many of the hardships faced by stateless people in Akkar are also felt by the region’s other residents, whether they are stateless or not. Issues tied to accessing healthcare, education, and employment are felt by all. • Furthermore, the regulatory framework governing stateless persons’ confirmation and acquisition of nationality is complicated, lengthy, and costly. A sustainable solution to this situation has not yet been realized. The complexity of registering births after the one-year deadline also stands in the way of regularizing the status of those nonregistered persons. Perceptions and identities • Despite being deprived of their legal personality, stateless persons in Akkar show great attachment to Lebanon the country, with the survey showing that stateless persons mostly blame the Lebanese state for their current situation. That said, respondents showed high levels of trust in the army and other security services, while disliking political institutions. • Stateless persons are highly stigmatized, which generates further shame, embarrassment and distress for them, adding to their vulnerability. © 2021 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.