What does the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness provide for? Due to the differing approaches taken by States with regard to acquisition and loss of nationality, some individuals continue to “fall through the cracks” and become stateless. Common rules are therefore essential to address such gaps. In 1950, the ILC commenced the process of drafting what would later emerge as the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (1961 Convention). The 1961 Convention is the only universal instrument that elaborates clear, detailed and concrete safeguards to ensure a fair and appropriate response to the threat of statelessness. The articles of the 1961 Convention aim to avoid statelessness at birth and later in life, but they neither prohibit the possibility of deprivation of nationality under certain circumstances, nor require States to grant citizenship to all currently stateless persons. The 1961 Convention also provides for the creation of a body to which a person who may benefit from the provisions of the 1961 Convention may apply to have their claim examined and to seek assistance in presenting the claim to the appropriate authority. The General Assembly subsequently asked UNHCR to fulfil this role. (See Annex 2 for a list of States Parties to the 1961 Convention.) In seeking to reduce the incidence of statelessness, the 1961 Convention requires that States parties adopt nationality legislation that reflects prescribed standards relating to the acquisition or loss of nationality. Should disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention arise between Contracting States and they are not resolved by other means, they can be submitted to the International Court of Justice at the request of any one of the parties to the dispute. UNHCR’s Handbook on Protection of Stateless Persons provides guidance to governments, UNHCR and other actors on how to interpret and apply Articles 1–4 and 12 of the 1961 Convention, which concern avoidance of statelessness among children. 12 “One day, I was standing between the borders, and could not get into either country. It was the most unforgettable experience in my life! I could not enter the State where I had been; also I couldn’t get into the State where I was born, raised and lived! Where do I belong? I still cannot forget the strong feeling of loss I experienced at the airport.” Lara, who was formerly stateless