What needs to be done? Laws that prevent women from conferring nationality to their children on an equal basis to men need to be reformed to prevent statelessness among children. Such reforms can be enacted with retroactive effect to ensure that those left stateless under previously discriminatory laws are able to acquire a nationality. Lifting reservations to Article 9 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women will also help to achieve the outcome resulting from this Action. Gender discrimination that prevents women from acquiring, changing and retaining nationality on an equal basis with men needs to be eliminated to protect women from statelessness and unwanted changes to their nationality status. How can UNHCR support? • • Advocate and provide technical advice for the reform of nationality laws, policies and procedures, to ensure equality between women and men in nationality matters. Where possible, use Constitutional reform processes as an opportunity to achieve these objectives. Work with UN Women, UNICEF, OHCHR, IPU and civil society members of the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights, including through initiatives and workstreams implemented by the Global Alliance to End Statelessness. • Support initiatives by the legal community to promote the equality of women and men in nationality matters, including through strategic litigation aimed at achieving legislative reform or ending the discriminatory application of nationality laws. Build the capacity of legal professionals and the justice sector on statelessness and nationality issues. RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS • • • • • • Article 15, Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 24, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Article 7, Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 9, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women UN Human Rights Council, Human Rights and arbitrary deprivation of nationality: Resolution / Adopted by the Human Rights Council 11 July 2014, A/HRC/RES/26/14 UN Human Rights Council, the Right to a Nationality: Women and Children, 16 July 2012, A/HRC/ RES/20/4 – entire document RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS • • • SDG 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. SDG 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries. SDG 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. GLOBAL ACTION PLAN TO END STATELESSNESS 2.0 19