In collaboration with ICERD INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION Quick Reference Guide STATELESSNESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS TREATIES This reference guide highlights key international human rights provisions found in the ICERD that are directly relevant to preventing and reducing statelessness and protecting stateless persons. It is addressed to all stakeholders who may wish to use this international human rights instrument to improve the enjoyment of human rights by stateless persons and to resolve the problem, thereby helping to meet the goals of the #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness. A stateless person is someone “who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law,” according to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (1954 Convention). The ICERD addresses statelessness primarily through its provision prohibiting “distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin” (Article 1). A number of General Recommendations (GR) of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (Committee) further inform the meaning of these provisions when using them to address statelessness. The Committee has regularly used its Concluding Observations to call on States parties to the ICERD to also become party to the 1954 Convention and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Imrana, 22 years old, and her baby are both undocumented. They are part of the minority Roma community in Skopje, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and, like many others in the community, are unable to establish their Macedonian nationality. © UNHCR/Roger Arnold Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness Article 1(1): “In this Convention, the term ‘racial discrimination’ shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.” Discrimination on the basis of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin is often the root cause of statelessness. Moreover, stateless populations are particularly vulnerable to further discrimination. It is necessary that States legislate both to prevent such discrimination from happening, and to protect vulnerable people when they are subject to discrimination. • GR No. 27 on discrimination against Roma: The Committee drafted a recommendation specifically relating to members of Roma communities, many of whom are stateless and who experience discrimination as a result. The Committee urges States to “take all necessary measures in order to avoid any form of discrimination against immigrants or asylum-seekers of Roma origin.” (para. 5)