the pandemic, although movement and travelling restrictions were already in place, added requirements on reviewing identification documentation made it even more difficult for stateless people to move around the country.97 49. For stateless people in Pakistan, difficulties in accessing livelihood/employment were further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on informal work, primarily within the fishery industry, or daily wage jobs, members of stateless communities were amongst the first to be laid off due to the lockdowns. CNIC and work permit checks by relevant authorities became stricter, which stateless people do not possess.98 During the pandemic the standard of living for stateless communities dropped further99 and members from the stateless communities had to resort to begging.100 Compensation for work from home was also significantly less.101 50. Regarding emergency aid, holding a valid CNICs was a precondition to register for the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program thereby excluding members of stateless communities from emergency relief.102 51. Regarding education, stateless children do not have access to public schools as they do not hold necessary documents including CNICs. Assistance to stateless children is provided by some schools on an ad hoc basis.103 Even when accessing education in informal ways, stateless children are unable to sit for exams by the State’s Education Boards due to lack of documentation.104 For stateless children able to access education, the shift to online learning did not cater for their needs due to the lack of access to the internet, computers and laptops.105 52. Women and girls within stateless communities were disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic regarding discontinued education, lack of access to maternal healthcare at public hospitals, early marriages and increased gender-based violence.106 Issue IV Gender Discrimination in nationality law of Pakistan 53. Article 10(2) of the Pakistani Citizenship Act 1951 provides that a foreign woman may acquire citizenship through marriage to a Pakistani man but the same is not provided for a foreign man. Even for foreign Afghani women, the process is said to be lengthy and cumbersome. In such situations, children are granted Pakistani citizenship only if they 97 Ibid, at 34-35. Journalist reporting on statelessness issues in Pakistan, Interviewed on 16 March, 2022, Ibid, at 36. 99 Representative, Pakistan Bengali Action Committee, Interviewed on March 21, 2022, Ibid, at 36. 100 Representative, Imkaan Welfare Organization, Interviewed on 29 March, Ibid, at 36. 101 Ibid. 102 Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, https://www.pass.gov.pk/[Also confirmed in our interviews with Ministry of Human Rights, Imkaan, SHARP, Human Rights Alliance, Pakistan Bengali Action Committee; Sindh Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Commission Pakistan] 103 Representative, Imkaan Welfare Organization, Interviewed on 29 March, 2022 in Musawi and Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, ‘The Impact of COVID-19 on Stateless Communities in Pakistan’, (July 2022), forthcoming, at 37. 104 Ibid. 105 Community Member, Machar Colony, Interviewed on 16 May, 2022, Ibid, at 38. 106 Ibid, at 39-41. 98 15