BUILDING STATELESSNESS-SENSITIVE ID SYSTEMS R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S AC T I O N I T E M S Design credentials with country-specific sensitivity to statelessness visibility. • • 14 Keep credentials neutral. Suggest that cards/QRs/ ID numbers contain no nationality or other markers. Route citizen-only entitlements (e.g., voting) through sector back-end checks instead of visible fields on the foundational credential. Registration approach/whether to register statelessness. Decide whether “statelessness” should be captured at all—and if so, whether it should be stored only as a protected back-end attribute or omitted entirely. Where a discrete back-end flag clearly benefits stateless persons (e.g., enabling service access or tailored safeguards) and can be protected by robust governance, limited access controls, and purpose limitation, consider recording it in the back end. Where any recording poses credible risks of harm, discrimination, or misuse, adopt neutral credentials and avoid collecting or storing explicit statelessness identifiers. Train civil registrars/officials to apply legal criteria fairly. • Promote awareness and capacity-building. Provide training and knowledge-sharing for officials on statelessness-sensitive practices, legal obligations, and international standards to ensure consistent application of non-discrimination principles. Support due process & grievance guidelines; inform individuals about decisions/redress. • Grievance Mechanisms. Support the setup of accessible grievance redress and appeals for enrollment/denial decisions. Informed decision. Ensure that individuals are informed about decisions and avenues for redress in cases of denial of documentation, including birth registration and nationality documentation. Run awareness-raising for stateless groups on birth registration/ID opportunities. • Support legal aid/paralegals for applications or redress. • Foster regional cooperation and cross-border data sharing protocols. Cross-border coordination. Coordinate with neighboring countries and learn from regional good practices on documentation continuity for mobile/in-situ populations. • • Inclusive outreach. Recommend targeted outreach using neutral, inclusive messaging; partner with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with community trust. Accessible Information. Provide easy-to-read materials and safe referral information. Support assisted enrollment. Partner with CSOs and paralegals to help applicants prepare documentation, navigate registration, and contest arbitrary denials—bridging the gap between law and practice.