ADDRESSING STATELESSNESS THROUGH THE
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION
OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION (‘ICERD’)
MICHIEL HOORNICK *
Discrimination is one of the root causes for deprivation and denial of nationality. This work
presents an analysis of the right to nationality under art 5(d)(iii) of the International Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the interpretation of the obligations
under art 2, related to this right by its monitoring body, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination. This reflection focuses on obligations regarding deprivation of nationality,
acquisition of nationality and other obligations to facilitate and fulfil the right to nationality of the
individuals living within its jurisdiction. An assessment is made on the effectiveness of the
Convention and its Committee in protecting the right to nationality.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction........................................................................................................... 222
Statelessness and Discrimination.............................................................. 222
The Content of the Convention ................................................................ 225
1
Grounds of Protection .................................................................. 226
2
Article 1(3) on Nationality and the Domaine Réservé ................. 226
3
State’s Obligations ....................................................................... 227
Deprivation of nationality ..................................................................................... 228
Dual Nationality ....................................................................................... 230
State Succession ....................................................................................... 231
Public Emergency and Terrorism ............................................................. 232
Acquisition of Nationality .................................................................................... 233
Inclusion of Ethnicity in Nationality Laws............................................... 234
Equal Access to Citizenship and Naturalisation ....................................... 236
Public Authorities and Public Institutions ................................................ 237
Gender discrimination .............................................................................. 239
Positive Obligations to Eliminate Statelessness ................................................... 240
Data Collection and Reporting ................................................................. 243
Removal of Barriers to Naturalisation ...................................................... 243
Refugees and Displaced Persons .............................................................. 244
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 245
INTRODUCTION
Statelessness and Discrimination
Statelessness can have countless different root causes, and there are numerous
ways in which a person can be deprived or denied of their citizenship — including
*
Michiel Hoornick (LLM) is a researcher at the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies
(KU Leuven), and after short stints with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(‘UNHCR’) and the Netherlands foreign service worked previously as a programme officer
for the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion.