Report #1: Impoverished and Marginalised in Assam Introduction The coronavirus pandemic has been unprecedented in many ways – it has not only gravely affected human lives, but has also brought the global economy to a near-standstill. While the entire world has felt the shockwaves of the pandemic, it is not surprising that the most adverse effects have been felt by those who occupy the fringes of society. The trauma endured by this section of the population is often rendered invisible, despite the fact that they constitute the majority of the global population. It is of critical importance that these vulnerabilities be highlighted and addressed through policy initiatives. It cannot be denied that these problems are exacerbated for persons who are stateless as well as those at risk of statelessness. As set out in a joint civil society statement1: As governments across the world confront the COVID-19 pandemic, facing deeply challenging decisions on protecting public health while averting starvation and warding off economic disaster, it is increasingly evident that in times of crisis, states are largely embracing a “citizens first” approach. Denied nationality and deprived basic rights and welfare, the stateless were already marginalised before the crisis. They now face even greater, lifethreatening marginalisation, with potentially disastrous consequences.2 Statelessness shuts down access to employment, healthcare and other social services, endangers job security, infringes on one’s liberty through the threat of detention, and limits engagement with any level of government. It leads to the blatant erasure of one’s identity and is arguably one of the worst fates a person can suffer. During this time of the pandemic, the stateless face the risk of being excluded from state responses to COVID-19. Given that For Jubeda Begum (name changed), her village has always been her entire world. Born and raised within the same district, she has built a life with her husband, children and grandchildren. There is not much to distinguish her from her neighbours at first she relies on irregular daily wage income, and has . However, in reality, Jubeda lives with a heavy burden. She is among India’s stateless population. A court verdict in 2017 stripped her of her citizenship. Detained for three years, she was released on bail this year in a process fraught with difficulty for her illiterate husband. She soon found out that a new crisis was looming over the horizon. Like the rest of the world, Jubeda’s life came to a grinding halt in 2020. ‘Stateless in a Global Pandemic’ (Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion 2020): https://files.institutesi.org/ Covid19_Stateless_Impact_Report.pdf 1 Joint civil society statement of 83 organisations, ‘In solidarity with the stateless: an urgent call to states, donors and other stakeholders to promote and protect the rights of stateless persons in their COVID-19 responses’, available at: https://files.institutesi.org/Joint_Statement_in_Solidarity_with_the_Stateless.pdf. 2 4