Implementation of the Global Action Plan With respect to Action 1, Resolve existing major situations of statelessness on 18 December 2019, Tajikistan adopted the Law on “Amnesty and regularization of the legal status of foreign nationals and stateless persons irregularly residing in the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan”, thus fulfilling one of its pledges submitted at the High Level Segment on Statelessness. The law came into effect on 7 January and covers foreign nationals and stateless persons originating from the former Soviet Union who arrived in Tajikistan before 31 December 2016, and who reside in Tajikistan undocumented or with invalid identity documents. The law envisages a waiver of both administrative penalties for illegal residence and criminal charges for illegal border crossing. It also establishes grounds to obtain legal status and stay in Tajikistan for qualifying persons. Once stateless persons obtain legal residence in Tajikistan, they will have access to opportunities to naturalize. The law stipulates a three-year timeframe for the registration and regularization of the legal status of those falling within its scope. Another important development in line with Action 1 is the signing of a decree by the President of Azerbaijan on 27 February granting citizenship to 343 people, of whom 86 were stateless persons. In line with Action 1, the Government of Malaysia enacted new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure that citizenship applications are expedited. The SOPs have been in force since 1 January. Zainab, 46, is one of thousands of irregular stateless persons in Tajikistan who will benefit from the recently enacted Amnesty Law that will end her legal limbo and open prospects for naturalization in Tajikistan. © UNHCR/Nodira Akbaralieva 4