IS THE 1954 CONVENTION STILL R E L E VA N T I N TO DAY ’S W O R L D ? Y es, absolutely. Statelessness is still a widespread problem today. With the growing awareness of the global impact of statelessness on individuals and societies, both governments and the international community are increasingly turning to the UN Statelessness Conventions for guidance. The 1954 Convention remains the primary international instrument that regulates the status of nonrefugee stateless persons and ensures that stateless persons enjoy human rights without discrimination. It provides stateless individuals with an internationally recognized legal status, offers them access to travel documents, identity papers and other basic forms of documentation, and sets out a common framework with minimum standards of treatment for stateless persons. Accession to the 1954 Convention therefore allows States to demonstrate their commitment to human rights, gives individuals access to protection and mobilizes international support for the State to adequately deal with the protection of stateless persons. Protecting the Rights of Stateless Persons 3