EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The COVID-19 pandemic and state responses to it have had a significant negative impact on the lives, wellbeing, and rights of the approximately 15 million stateless people around the world who have been denied a nationality, as well as tens of millions whose nationality is at risk. The devastating impacts of exclusion and denial of fundamental rights, including healthcare, during the pandemic relate to much deeper structural problems – the historic and systemic exclusion, deprivation and marginalisation of communities that have been made stateless as part of wider discriminatory political acts, or pursuant to dominant, discriminatory ideologies. This report documents these impacts, providing an evidence base for further action. COVID-19 has shone a light on these challenges and also presents a unique opportunity to raise visibility, address the structural causes of statelessness, and secure lasting change, through working directly with stateless people and being accountable to them. The report also proposes a practical 3-step Roadmap for relevant stakeholders, to protect the right to nationality and the rights of stateless people, during times of COVID-19 and beyond. Below, is a summary of the Roadmap in Part 1 of the report, the key findings of the five thematic chapters in Part 2, and ten calls to action. This Executive Summary does not cover the findings or calls to action of the CESF country chapters in Part 3 of the report. TOGETHER WE CAN: A ROADMAP TO ADDRESS THE COVID-19 IMPACT ON STATELESS PEOPLE This practical 3-step Roadmap serves as a framework for resolving and addressing the structural discrimination and exclusion of stateless people, during times of COVID-19 and beyond. The starting point is the belief that change is within our grasp, and can be achieved through creative, committed and courageous action. Together we can and together we must address the structural discrimination underlying statelessness, protect the rights of stateless people and meet their emergency needs. Drawing on the experiences and expertise of CESF Consortium members in their COVID-19 work, the Roadmap aims to inform and guide the necessary inclusive responses of multiple stakeholders: governments, parliamentarians and political parties, professional bodies, NHRIs, regional organisations, UN agencies and experts, diplomats, donors, international organisations, NGOs, grassroots groups, activists, the media and concerned members of the general public. 1 CHECK FOR INSTITUTIONAL BLIND-SPOTS We invite states, UN actors, humanitarian groups and other stakeholders to engage in careful introspection, check for institutional blind-spots, and review and reform policies and practices to ensure that stateless people are prioritised, their particular contexts and needs are understood and addressed and they are not excluded or left behind through: • • • • 2 strengthening awareness of the issue at all levels; acknowledging historical failures; collecting and sharing information on statelessness and nationality rights deprivations; and resourcing the enhancement of capacities, collaborations and funding. INCLUDE, CONSULT & ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE We invite activists and NGOs to make their expertise available and those in positions of power, to have open consultation and meaningful and constructive dialogue with affected communities, and commit to including stateless people on equal terms by: • • • • 6 consulting with activists and affected communities; building trust and strengthening solidarity with stateless communities; meeting the needs and priorities of affected communities and ensuring their meaningful participation; and facilitating wider discourse within society and institutions on equality, inclusion and the right to nationality. THE REPORT IS GROUNDED IN THE EXPERIENCES AND EXPERTISE OF MEMBERS OF THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY STATELESSNESS FUND (CESF) CONSORTIUM, A GLOBAL CONSORTIUM OF NGOS AND CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, INITIATED BY THE INSTITUTE ON STATELESSNESS AND INCLUSION (ISI) IN JUNE 2020 TO RESPOND TO THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON STATELESS POPULATIONS. IT CARRIES A SIMPLE MESSAGE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE CHANGE, PROTECT THE RIGHT TO NATIONALITY FOR ALL AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF ALL STATELESS PEOPLE. THE REPORT DRAWS ON A MIX OF DESK RESEARCH AND THE FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH-BASED ACTION ADVOCACY PROJECTS BEING IMPLEMENTED BY CESF CONSORTIUM MEMBERS IN 13 COUNTRIES. IT COMPRISES THREE PARTS: PART 1 INTRODUCTION, CESF CONSORTIUM AND ROADMAP TO ADDRESS THE COVID-19 IMPACT ON STATELESS PEOPLE. PART 2 THEMATIC FOCUS ON THE RIGHT TO NATIONALITY, DOCUMENTATION AND LEGAL STATUS; EQUALITY AND NONDISCRIMINATION; THE RIGHT TO HEALTH; SOCIOECONOMIC RIGHTS AND CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS. PART 3 CESF COUNTRY FOCUS CHAPTERS ON BANGLADESH, CENTRAL ASIA, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, INDIA, KENYA, MALAYSIA, MONTENEGRO, NEPAL, NORTH MACEDONIA AND ON THE ROHINGYA.